The Roman Baths in Varna are not just the biggest bathrooms of the period in the Balkans, but the fourth largest area of that type in the world. They are actually the largest public antique building built in the region. The baths date from the first century and only about two centuries later cease to perform their function of public bathrooms and a place to discuss public issues. The walls of baths reached up to 22 meters, and their area – whole 7000 m2

The Roman tower, as the locals called for years the highest part of the wall of the bathrooms still impresses today with its size. To imagine the whole building you have to take a look on the that at the entrance. As in other Roman baths there were rooms with different temperature so the body can gradually get used to the heat inside when coming from the cold outside of the building.

In the Roman Empire was not accepted men and women to use the same bathroom. Normally baths were divided, as there were separate entrances. The bathroom in Varna, however, use another type of division. The baths are attended until noon from women, as men during that time were anyway busy and went to work. From afternoon till late in the evenings the men were able to discuss public matters while caring for the comfort of their bodies.

There was a separate room in the baths, where the men can put their values for storage, so that they gentlemen can arrive immediately after work with all their possessions. The building was built in a specific technology – stone wall alternating with five or six lines thick clay bricks. And the building was lavishly decorated with mosaics and marble capitals.

To explore the Roman Baths today you have to pay an entrance fee from 5 lev or approximately 2,5 euro. There is also a possibility to order a guided tour that will make the ruins really come alive before your eyes. Nearby are also the small Roman baths, which served the ancient Odessos /the old name of today’s Varna / during the 3-4 century AD. It will become clear what was the real meaning of the baths at that time when you read the inscription on a tombstone: “The bathrooms, wine, love, they ruining our body. They make our life: bathrooms, wine, love.”