The underfloor heating
Short pillars that raised the floor for hot air to pass beneath — two-thousand-year-old engineering.
Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gerd Eichmann — CC BY-SA 4.0
Beneath a small square in central Baden-Baden lie the remains of Roman baths about two thousand years old. They were found during building work in the eighteenth century and are now a small underground museum. Baden-Baden exists because of hot water: springs come out of the ground here at up to around sixty-eight degrees. The Romans built baths for their soldiers on this spot in the first century AD, and the town's name simply means "the baths". What you see are the remains of the underfloor heating: short pillars that raised the floor so hot air could pass beneath, along with water channels and basins. The system explains how the baths were warmed two thousand years ago. The site is very small and the visit short, about half an hour, and the ticket is cheap. Opening hours are very limited and seasonal, so check before going.
Short pillars that raised the floor for hot air to pass beneath — two-thousand-year-old engineering.
Stone conduits that carried hot spring water to the basins.
Römerplatz 1, 76530 Baden-Baden
FriedrichsbadThe Friedrichsbad is Baden-Baden's most famous bath, opened in 1877 in a grand, 1 minute walk4.3
Fabergé MuseumThe Fabergé Museum in Baden-Baden was the first museum anywhere devoted to the w1 minute walk3.9
Society of Friends of Young ArtThe Gesellschaft der Freunde junger Kunst is a small art institution founded in 2 minutes walk4.8
Caracalla ThermeThe Caracalla Therme is a modern mineral bath in central Baden-Baden, using the 2 minutes walk4.2
Collegiate ChurchThe Collegiate Church is the oldest important building in Baden-Baden, standing 2 minutes walk4.6Yes as a short, cheap stop, especially if archaeology interests you or you want to understand why the town exists here. But it is a very small site — do not expect grand Roman baths.
The site is small, underground and run as an annexe of the neighbouring Friedrichsbad, so it opens for a short daily window and seasonally. This catches most visitors out, so always check first.