Under the overpass of the Árpád Bridge, a Roman bath of about 1800 years old is hiding. Few people know, and even fewer visit it. If any of the big cities in the world would hold such a spectacle, they would clasp their two hands together in joy.
Years ago, I had wanted to see it already, but it was surrounded, and the gate was locked. Only a miserable Alsatian dog bored on a short chain. Fortunately, I had a sandwich with me that I was able to comfort him, and at least one of us was happy. Now, a couple of days ago, I did not want to believe my luck when I found the gate open. Over the years, significant changes have taken place. Everywhere, two-language enlightenment tables tell the history of the bath and the fortification and explain the sights.
At the entrance, the above-mentioned informative tables are telling us where and what is visible in this surprisingly large ruin. I spent about 1.5 to 2 hours, but I always felt I did not see enough. The bathing culture of the Romans has always been famous, but to admire that they used floor heating in the 2nd century BC to keep the corridors warm, it was terrific They had several pools of different temperatures. The stairs on the four corners of a pool, leading into the water, are still fairly intact. On the side, there is a piece of original flooring. Some rooms around there belonged to the fortress. Roughly in the middle of the area, there is a fountain, and behind it, on the wall, there is an inscription:“Thermae Maiores.“ If you like challenges, it is possible to go down one level from there and choose the harder way and get through a low arch to reach the pillar forest of the floor heating. I have to admit that I didn’t recognize some parts of the ruins following the descriptions. However, this did not stop me from enjoying all the minutes of the visit. So that in a couple of days later on, when I happened to be around, and it was heavily snowing snow, I went in and looked at again some parts.
There’re also Roman fragments displayed in the Arpad Bridge underpass and columns on Florian square that also belongs to the Roman Bath Museum. It is confusing since the ruins of the bath is under the ramp of the bridge, but fenced around (free entry) while these statues, column, frieze, etc. fragments are in the underpass. They displayed next to the walls, in between little shops operating there, and benches mostly occupied by homeless people. On Florian square, the columns and some remaining walls also belong to the same Roman legion who used the bath, since there was their camp. This area is so rich in archaeological memories that your visit is only limited by the amount of time you have.