Baths of Caracalla
Terme di Caracalla
A huge public bath complex built in the early 3rd century AD. Its towering brick walls and surviving mosaic floors are striking, and open-air opera is staged here on summer nights.
The Baths of Caracalla were built between AD 212 and 216, during the reign of Emperor Caracalla. They cover more than 10 hectares and could accommodate around 1,600 bathers at once. They featured cold, warm and hot baths, a gymnasium and a library, making them among the best-preserved large bathing complexes from ancient Rome. The surviving brick walls, rising more than 30 metres, and the extensive black-and-white mosaic floors still convey the scale of the original complex. There are far fewer visitors here than at the Colosseum, so it is a great place for photography. Every summer, the Rome Opera stages open-air opera and ballet performances here. Tickets must be bought separately. The site is closed on Mondays. It is about a 10-minute walk from Circo Massimo station on Metro Line B.
Opening hours
Tuesday–Sunday from 09:00; closing time varies by season, 16:30–19:15; closed Mondays
Nearby sights
- Circus Maximus
- Colosseum
- Basilica of San Clemente
- Pyramid of Cestius
- Mouth of Truth
- San Pietro in Vincoli
- Roman Forum / Palatine Hill
- Archbasilica of St. John Lateran