Roman Baths - Varna

In the Roman times, when Varna existed under the name of Odessos, the famous Roman baths were bult in the city. What is left of the buildings nowadays, gives specialists grounds to believe they were one of the biggest buildings in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire. The arch-like constructions are supposed to have been at least 20 m high. The building was constructed in the second half of II century on an area of around 7000 sq.m. and existed until the end of the III century. Its thick walls were built under a specific technology - on layers of stones and bricks, bound by a mixture of plaster and crumbled tiles and bricks. The walls were grouted with water resistant plaster, there were marble tiles on the floor and some of the premises were panelled in marble. Passing through the vast halls, creating a natural bareer against cold air, visitors of the baths had entered an enormous hall, called “balestra”, which occupied an area of 840 sq.m. and was a place, where the citizens of Odessos gathered to discuss different social problems. The heating system of the baths is extremely interesting even today – the baths have a double floor and special hollows, through which the warm air could reach even the top of the baths.

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