Virtual Tour of Bath(the number on slide matches the

number on map)

1. Standing outside the Tourist Information Centre

• City of Bath is famous for the hot springs. The Romans took advantage of them; they worshipped ‘Sulis’ the Goddess of the springs, and the name of the city was Aquae Sulis, which means ‘the waters of Sulis’.

• The Romans built the Temple of Sulis, which is attached to the Roman Baths. In front of you is the Great Bath which is the most important of all the baths.

• After the Romans, people forgot about the baths until the mid 18th Century, when they became famous again.

1. Standing outside the Tourist Information Centre

• On your right is Bath Abbey.

• The Abbey was founded in1499. It is known as the last great gothic church in England.

• It is a huge church with fantastic stained glass windows. Worth looking inside.

• Look at the angels climbing up the ladders to heaven. Some are climbing down because they have been sent back!

2. Abbey Church Yard• Stand with your back to the Abbey. To

the left are the Roman Baths.

• The Romans Bath is a huge structure. The Great Bath is fed by natural hot springs. It is lined with lead.

• There is a temple here where Romans brought offerings to the goddess Sulis. The head of her statue was found in Stall Street in the 18th Century.

• Drinking the water was also popular as people believed, and also believe today that it has many health benefits.A pump room was built as a meeting place to drink the water.

3. Kings Bath on Stall Street opposite Bath Street

• Bath is a world heritage site. On the road in front of you is the World Heritage Site Symbol of Outstanding Universal Beauty.

• Bath street is a colonaded street (a street with columns) which was built in 18th Century.

• Thermae Spa is a modern day Spa. It has an open air pool on top of the roof using the hot water from the natural springs.

4.Corner of Hetling Court and Westgate Buildings

(Walk on right hand side of Westgate Buildings bear right into Saw Close you will see the Theatre Royal in front of you.)

5.Theatre Royal• Theatre Royal is the oldest working

theatre in the country which opened in 1705.

• Thurrent building opened in 1863 after a fire.

• It is a very popular theatre today.

6. Queens Square• This square was built by John Wood the

elder between 1738 and 1735.

• The terrace on the western side of the square was originally built as 3 individual houses. 100 years after it was built, it was rebuilt in the ‘Greek Revival’ style which we see today.

• The most impressive part is the northern side, which was built to resemble a palace. It was built out of 7 individual houses.

• The Obelisk in the centre was built to commemorate the visit by Frederick Prince of Wales in 1738.

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7. Royal Avenue• Walk along Royal Avenue

• After a visit in the 19th Century by Queen Victoria, she allowed this road to be named after her. It leads to the Royal Crescent.

(Pass the Mini Golf area on left. Head right between a fir tree and a giant urn.At a junction of paths you get a fantastic view of the Royal Crescent.)

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8. The Royal Crescent• Royal Crescent if built out of 30

houses.• 114 columns on the front of the

façade.• Just the façade was built by John

Wood the Younger in 1767. Individual builders built the houses behind the façade in whatever style they wanted so long as the façade remained the same.

• No 1 Royal Crescent was built as an example. It is very untouched and is now a museum.

• It is thought that the Crescent represents the moon and the Circus the moon.

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9. The Circus• The Circus was built by John Wood the

Elder 1754 and finished by John Wood the Younger (the same person who built The Royal Crescent).

• It consists of 33 houses with 3 evenly

spaced entrances.

• People say that The Circus represents Stonehenge, which Wood found interesting. It is exactly the same diameter as the grass circle that surrounds Stonehenge.

• The columns of the buildings represent the 3 classic orders of architecture - Doric on ground floor, Iconic with scrolls on 1st and Corinthian with acathanthus leaves on 2nd floor.

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10.The Assembly Rooms

• Again, John Wood the Younger built the Assembly Rooms in 1799.

• It was a place to drink, dance and socialise.

• Open to the public.

• Today many people visit the Assembly Rooms to see the Fashion Museum which is in the basement.

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11. Entrance to Bartlett Street (Look back along Alfred street at the back of the houses that make up the Circus a contrast to the façade.)

12. George Street and Milsom Street

• Milsom Street was originally built as a residential street (a street with houses). Now, it has many shops and restaurants.

(Walk down Milsom Street to New Bond Street.)

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13. New Bond Street Place

(Walk along this narrow passage to Union Passage where it meets Westgate Street.)

(Cross the street through the archway to Abbey Churchyard. Pass to the right of the Abbey back to the tourist information centre.)

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