10 - Great Southern Baths

The city's main public baths were built during the reign of Augustus (27 BC-14 AD) and extensively remodelled at the end of the 1st century AD, possibly following Conimbriga's elevation to the status of a municipality. The thermal complex was divided into three areas: two open areas, located at the ends of the building (cold water pool and palaestra) and a central, covered body intended for bathing. Access was through the building's facade, facing the square where the city's main streets converged, with particular emphasis on the street that, from the Forum, led to the city's edge (cardo maximus) and which corresponded to the city's main artery. After passing through the entrance, one observes a large cold water pool, located outdoors (natatio), into which one descended via a wide staircase. Next came the covered area, where compartments with rooms of different temperature and tanks of cold water (frigidarium), warm water (tepidarium), and hot water (caldarium) following one another.