CHAPPIDI ABHIRATH REDDY,
C/O COL GKS REDDY,
During my stay at London from 21 Aug 2013 to 05 Nov 2013, we visited Bath City on 26 Oct 2013
Bath City
Bath (/ˈbɑːθ/ or /ˈbæθ/) is a city in the ceremonial county of Somerset in South West England. It is situated 97 miles (156 km) west of London and 13 miles (21 km) south-east of Bristol. At the 2011 census, the population of the city was 94,782. It was granted city status by Royal Charter byQueen Elizabeth I in 1590, and was made a county borough in 1889 which gave it administrative independence from its county, Somerset. The city became part of Avon when that county was created in 1974. Since 1996, when Avon was abolished, Bath has been the principal centre of theunitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES).
The city was first established as a spa with the Latin name, Aquae Sulis ("the waters of Sulis") by the Romans sometime in the AD 60s about 20 years after they had arrived in Britain (AD43), although oral tradition suggests that Bath was known before then. They built baths and a temple on the surrounding hills of Bath in the valley of the River Avon around hot springs. Edgar was crowned king of England at Bath Abbey in 973. Much later, it became popular as a spa town during the Georgian era, which led to a major expansion that left a heritage of exemplary Georgian architecture crafted from Bath Stone.
The City of Bath was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1987. The city has a variety of theatres, museums, and other cultural and sporting venues, which have helped to make it a major centre for tourism, with over one million staying visitors and 3.8 million day visitors to the city each year. The city has two universities and several schools and colleges. There is a large service sector, and growing information and communication technologies and creative industries, providing employment for the population of Bath and the surrounding area.
Roman Baths &
Temple Complex
The Romans probably began building a formal temple complex at Aquae Sulis in the AD 60s. The Romans had probably arrived in the area shortly after their arrival in Britain in AD 43 and there is evidence that their military road, the Fosse Way, crossed the river Avon at Bath. An early Roman military presence has been found just to the North-East of the bath complex in the Walcot area of modern Bath.
Not far from the crossing point of their road, they would have been attracted by the large natural hot spring which had been a shrine of the Celtic Brythons, dedicated to their goddess, Sulis. This spring is a natural mineral spring found in the valley of the Avon River in Southwest England, it is the only spring in Britain officially designated as hot. The name is Latin for "the waters of Sulis." The Romans identified the goddess with their goddess Minerva and encouraged her worship. The similarities between Minerva and Sulis helped the Celts adapt to Roman culture. The spring was built up into a major Roman Baths complex associated with an adjoining temple. About 130 messages to Sulis scratched onto lead curse tablets (defixiones) have been recovered from the Sacred Spring by archaeologists. Most of them were written in Latin, although one discovered was in Brythonic and usually laid curses upon those whom the writer felt had done them wrong. This collection is the most important found in Britain.
The inner view of the Bath complex, with Bath Abbey in the background
Another view of the Roman Bath Complex
The Inner view of Roman Bath Complex from a different angle
The Main Roman Bath (Central Bath), as seen from the Gallery above
Another view of the Central Bath as seen from the Gallery above
A man from Aqua Sulis (The Roman name for the Bath)
The write up about the man from Aqua Sulis
The write up about the Aqua Sulis Temple Pediment
The Re-constructed Temple Pediment, with the excavated ruins
The Statue of the Goddess excavated from the Temple Ruins
The Head of Goddess Minerva Excavated from the Temple Ruins
The intricate underground water connections made 2000 years back, which are still functional
Another view of the underground water connections at the Roman Baths
The Tiles under the Floor of the changing Room for circulation of Hot water,
to keep the Room warm
The entry to the East Baths at the Roman Bath Complex
A view of the Main Bath (The Central Bath)
A closer view of the Central Bath
A view of the Central Bath from a different angle
The Kings and Queens Entry to the Bath Complex
An External view of the Bath Complex
Men's Entry to the Bath Complex
Women's Entry to the Bath Complex, now being used as Main Visitors Entry
Another view of the Main Visitors Entry to the Bath Complex
The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Bath, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is an Anglican parish church and a formerBenedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England. Founded in the 7th century, Bath Abbey was reorganised in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries; major restoration work was carried out by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 1860s. It is one of the largest examples ofPerpendicular Gothic architecture in the West Country.
The church is cruciform in plan, and is able to seat 1200. An active place of worship, with hundreds of congregation members and hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, it is used for religious services, secular civic ceremonies, concerts and lectures. The choir performs in the abbey and elsewhere. There is a heritage museum in the vaults.
The abbey is a Grade I listed building, particularly noted for its fan vaulting. It contains war memorials for the local population and monuments to several notable people, in the form of wall and floor plaques and commemorative stained glass. The church has two organs and a peal of ten bells. The west front includes sculptures of angels climbing to heaven on two stone ladders.
A view of the Bath Abbey as seen from the Men's Entry
A view of Bath Abbey as seen from the Courtyard
(Located between the Bath complex and the Abbey)
Another view of Bath Abbey from the Courtyard
The view of the Altar inside Bath Abbey
A closer view of the Altar
A view of Bath Abbey from near the Guild Hall
Bath Guild Hall
The Guildhall in Bath, Somerset, England was built between 1775 and 1778 by Thomas Baldwin to designs by Thomas Warr Attwood. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.
The current Bath stone building replaced a Stuart Guildhall, built in 1625, which itself replaced an earlier Tudor structure.The facade has 4 Ionic columns and the building is surmounted by the figure of Justice. The central dome was added in 1893. It forms a continuous building with the Victoria Art Gallery and the covered market.
The interior includes a banqueting hall with engaged Corinthian columns. It contains 18th century chandeliers and original royal portraits. The room is used on royal visits to the city including Queen Elizabeth II who had lunch in the banqueting room in May 2002.It now houses the Council Chamber and Register office for Bath and North East Somerset and is used as a wedding venue, and for filming period dramas. The Guildhall also serves as one of the venues for the Bath International Music Festival.
A view of the Central portion of the Guild Hall
A closer view of the Central portion of the Guild Hall
Entrance to the Market inside the Guild Hall
A view of the Market inside the Guild Hall
A full view of the Guild Hall from across the Road, with the Abbey in the background
A view of St Machaels Church at Bath
A Roman Style Modern Building near St Machaels Church
Note:- The information about the places visited has been Extracted from Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia
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