From via Terme you descend, through a path, towards the fulcrum of the ancient city, the spa area located about 160 m from the Roman road. The path allows a glimpse of the monumental remains on one side, while a large lawn, on the other side, makes the structures built for the management of the town’s cultural resources immersed in greenery.
The entrance to the thermal area is located right on the left bank of the Tirso river and even before entering the area you can see two ovoid pools where the water gushes from the ground at a temperature of 45 ° C and where up to a few decades ago it was not usual to find the women of the country doing laundry.
The majestic ruins of the archaeological area tell and testify to the different stages of life starting from the 1st century AD, large rectangular arcaded basin (Natatoio), remains of a nymphaeum, secondary wells and basins, changing rooms, Tepidarium (rooms in intermediate temperature), two Calidaria (warm rooms) and for the whole path, remains of mosaics, painted plasters and coatings marble.
The ancient baths of Forum Traiani are composed of two establishments: the first building in large square blocks of trachyte, where the hot water from a natural spring (54 ° C) passes, which flowed into a large rectangular swimming pool (Natatoio ) once covered with a barrel vault and porticoes on the S and N sides.
Around the Natatoio there are other rooms such as the changing room, tanks for mixing water and an important room for the cult of the Nymphs (the divinities of the waters).
