Thermae of Constantine – Arles France – ECTV
The Baths of Constantine or Baths of the North are Roman baths of the fourth century, located in Arles on the banks of the Rhône.
History
These baths were built at the beginning of the fourth century, when Emperor Constantine resided in Arelate. Known in the Middle Ages as the “Palace of the Scare”, they have traditionally been mistakenly considered to be the ruins of a palace that Emperor Constantine is said to have erected.
The remains of the thermal baths were classified as historical monuments by the 1840 list, the Roman wall and the adjoining cellars were classified in 1922[1].
They were renovated from 1980 to 1995 after the monument was bought by the city of Arles.
Description
The thermal baths of the North[2] (Baths of Constantine) are among the best preserved in France, along with the Chassenon Baths in Charente and the Cluny Baths in Paris[3]. The thermal baths were partially excavated from the nineteenth century.
The remains currently visible correspond to the caldarium, with suspended heating floors (hypocaust) including three pools (solia). Two of them are rectangular. The third, in a semi-circular apse and pierced by three windows, is covered with a cul-de-four vault. The caldarium communicates with the laconicum or dry oven and the tepidarium or warm bath, terminated on the west by a semicircular apse.
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