Les Thermes Gallo-Romains, Paris, France
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member RakeInTheCache
N 48° 51.053 E 002° 20.603
31U E 451830 N 5411087
[FR] Les thermes gallo-romains sont l'un des témoignages les plus spectaculaires de l'architecture antique conservé en Gaule. [EN] The roman baths are one of the most spectacular examples of the architecture of antiquity preserved in Gaul.
Waymark Code: WM31VW
Location: Île-de-France, France
Date Posted: 01/27/2008
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Chris777
Views: 135

[FR] Les thermes revêtent une importance particulière du fait de leur état de conservation exceptionnel ; la réutilisation pratiquement continue de l'édifice depuis le Moyen Âge en est la cause principale. Les thermes étaient formés de différents espaces, destinés au public ou aux services, et de souterrains. On identifie aisément les trois salles importantes : le frigidarium (salle froide) englobé dans le musée avec sa voûte de 15 m de haut ; un calda à l'ouest bordé par le boulevard Saint-Michel et un autre caldarium au sud à l'angle du boulevard Saint-Michel et de la rue Du Sommerard. Ces deux dernières salles sont en partie ruinées depuis le XVIIIe siècle. Les murs en élévation ont conservé leur structure d'origine qui se singularise par l'emploi de petites pierres carrées séparées à intervalles réguliers de rangs de briques. A l'intérieur, ils étaient recouverts de mosaïque, de marbre ou de peinture. Le frigidarium en conserve des traces. Le fragment de mosaïque aujourd'hui exposé, « un Amour chevauchant un dauphin », pourrait en constituer le dernier vestige. Cet ensemble architectural était comme bien d'autres thermes, l'un des hauts lieux de la civilisation romaine.

Les thermes sont depuis deja longtemps dans un etat de restauration, donc il n'y a pas grandes choses a voir a l'interieur sauf le "Pilier des nautes" qui est presente dans le frigidarium.

Le pilier des Nautes est à l'origine une colonne en l'honneur de Jupiter construit par les nautes de Lutèce, c’est un monument d’époque gallo-romaine. Les blocs composant le pilier sont ornés de bas-reliefs, ainsi que de représentations de divinités gauloises et romaines.

L'entree au musee est gratuit dans la premier partie de 2008.

[EN] The baths are particularly important given their exceptional state of preservation due to the nearly continuous use of the building since the Middle Ages. The baths were made into different spaces, for the public or services, and subterranean structures. It is easy to identify the three main rooms: the frigidarium (cold room) enclosed within the Museum with a 15 m high vault; a calda to the west bordered by the boulevard Saint-Michel and another caldarium to the south at the corner of boulevard Saint-Michel and the rue Du Sommerard. The last two rooms have been in partial ruin since the 17th century. The high walls have conserved their original structure, made unique by the use of small square stones spaced at regular intervals into rows of bricks. Inside, they were covered in mosaic, marble or paint. The frigadarium still has traces of these. The fragment of mosaic now on display, "Love Riding a Dolphin", could be all that is left. This architectural group was, like many other baths, one of the high points of Roman civilisation.

The baths have been undergoing restoration work for years with no end in sight. For this reason, it is almost better to appreciate them from outside the museum. There isn't a great deal to see inside. One exceptional item inside is the "Pilier des Nautes" or "Pillar of the Boatmen".

It is a square-section stone bas-relief with depictions of several deities, both Gaulish and Roman. Dating to the first quarter of the first century AD, it originally stood in a temple in the Gallo-Roman civitas of Lutetia (modern Paris, France) and is one of the earliest pieces of representational Gaulish art to carry a written inscription.

To enter the frigidarium, it is necessary to purchase a ticket to the Cluny museum (free entry in early 2008).
Most Relevant Historical Period: Roman Empire > 27 B.C.

Admission Fee: Free in early 2008

Opening days/times:
Tous les jours sauf le mardi, de 9 h 15 à 17 h 45 Fermeture de la caisse à 17 h 15 Fermé les 1er janvier, 1er mai et 25 décembre. Every day except Tuesday, from 9:15 to 5:45 Desk closes at 5:15 Closed 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.


Web Site: [Web Link]

Condition: Partly intact or reconstructed

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