One of the many reasons I enjoy traveling is, invariably I end up learning at least a teeny bit of the history and the culture of the place and the country I visit. On the short 3 days trip to UK (on the way to India), we spent a day visiting Stonehenge and Bath. I was surprised to know that Bath is a Roman town!!! Built in the 7th century, the Bath Abbey stands majestically at the center of the town. The Abbey has a long history, had been rebuilt few times and displays some very unique architectural features.
The ceiling of the Bath Abbey is very unique with its fan-like structure. I thought it is for aesthetics but learned that it is an architecture to support heavy ceilings.
It was fascinating to learn that Julius Cesar had invaded Britain twice and the Romans had occupied Britain from 43 AD until 410 AD. Once the Romans found out about the natural hot springs in the area, they built a bath house around it. The Bath house building has a museum and many artifacts from the Roman era.
Bath is also the town where the famous author Jane Austen lived. Some of her novels feature Bath and its famous land marks. There is a Jane Austen Center and Museum located within 5 minutes of walking from the Abbey. A bunch of ladies dressed up as Jane Austen characters were crossing the street. As I waved at them with my camera in my hand, they stopped and posed for this shot :)
With the Abbey on one side, the Roman Bath house on the other and surrounded by cafes, restaurants, and shops, the Town Square is the perfect place to take a break, have an ice cream and watch people.
This bridge reminded me of the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence, Italy. You can see a photo of the Ponte Vecchio bridge in this post. Just 90 miles west, Bath is a very unique town, steeped in history and provided a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of London.
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| Bath Abbey |
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| The Abbey: Take a closer look. On either side of the entrance, angles climb the Jacob's Ladder! |
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| Angels
climbing the Jacob's Ladder. I have heard the phrase Jacob's Ladder
many times! There is a movie by that name, a toy and even a flower. Though it is a biblical reference, this is the first time I am seeing it built like this. |
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| The Abbey's Nave. |
The ceiling of the Bath Abbey is very unique with its fan-like structure. I thought it is for aesthetics but learned that it is an architecture to support heavy ceilings.
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| Closeup of the Fan ceiling. |
It was fascinating to learn that Julius Cesar had invaded Britain twice and the Romans had occupied Britain from 43 AD until 410 AD. Once the Romans found out about the natural hot springs in the area, they built a bath house around it. The Bath house building has a museum and many artifacts from the Roman era.
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| Roman Bath House. |
Bath is also the town where the famous author Jane Austen lived. Some of her novels feature Bath and its famous land marks. There is a Jane Austen Center and Museum located within 5 minutes of walking from the Abbey. A bunch of ladies dressed up as Jane Austen characters were crossing the street. As I waved at them with my camera in my hand, they stopped and posed for this shot :)
With the Abbey on one side, the Roman Bath house on the other and surrounded by cafes, restaurants, and shops, the Town Square is the perfect place to take a break, have an ice cream and watch people.
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| Live music and singing at the Town Square! |
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| The Pulteney Bridge across the Avon river in Bath. |
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