The Roman Baths in Varna
Address: "San Stefano" Street. Open from 10 to 17 - Closed on Mondays.

    Situated on San Stefano Street in the South-East part of Varna, the Roman Baths (Thermae) are the largest public Roman Era antique buildings in Bulgaria. The well preserved walls surround an impressive structure of  about 7000 square meters.
The architectural style and coins found in the drains suggest construction work took place at the end of the second - beginning of the third century AD. During the 2nd century Odessos (Varna) grew into a major economical and cultural centre and could afford the enormous construction and maintenance. The daily life of the Roman citizens included visits to the baths.

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     The buildings were designed symmetrically to the design architect Vitrivius. The warm rooms face south, and in the middle of the southern facade is the caldarium - the hot water bath. The two entrances can be found on the northern side of the complex. The dressing rooms were large enough to fit all visitors and provide comfort and this is where the slaves would stay and keep the clothes and jewels safe while the citizens of Odessos enjoy the baths.
   The highest preserved part, the Roman tower was one of the walls of the western apoditerium. Bath procedure was the so called "short bath" - the frigidarium, the tepidarium (warm bath) and eventually the hot bath in the caldarium. The program continued on to the small tepidarium, and frigidarium.  All halls were located so that the men and women could bathe separately.
    The building itself was about 20 meters high (the preserved part of it nowadays, the Roman tower is 18 m high), constructed from both stones and bricks. The outer walls and the halls were decorated with marble columns, ornaments and other architectural elements. Another feature was the number of statues of distinguished citizens and Roman gods, built up together with the  fountains. The sewerage was symmetrically laid, with arched canals integrated in the thick foundations which eventually discharged into the Black Sea.

     Social and political crisis in the 3rd century caused damage in the Roman Empire and in Odessos. The maintenance of the baths became very expensive and they gradually fell into decay.  From the 6th century the stone and decorative elements were taken and used for the construction of other buildings in the city.

 

 

       The Orthodox Church of St. Atanassii in Graf Ignatiev Street, adjacent to the Baths, is famous for its festive icons, The Annunciation, Christmas, the Virgin Mary, and is well worth a visit. The iconostasis is a masterpiece of church art. Different rituals are performed in the church like weddings, christenings and others.