Baths of Nero

The Baths of Nero is an ancient Roman bathing complex located near the Pantheon that originally contained a system of heated and unheated bathing areas. Visitors today can see surviving columns and structural remains at the Church of Sant'Eustachio and beneath the modern Palazzo Madama.

Emperor Nero commissioned this bathing complex as one of Rome's first imperial bath monuments. Later, Emperor Severus Alexander took over the facility and renovated it extensively, which is why it also became known as the Thermae Alexandrinae.

This bath complex served as a daily meeting place where Romans gathered not just to bathe but also to conduct business and socialize. The layout of different rooms shows how important bathing was to Roman social life.

The remains are scattered across several locations nearby, so walking through the historic area allows you to explore different sections. The best views come from outside the Church of Sant'Eustachio, where ancient architectural elements are still clearly visible.

This complex served as a model for many later bathing facilities throughout the Roman Empire and demonstrates how architects revolutionized water usage. The innovative heating and water distribution systems used here for the first time on this scale influenced Roman building design for centuries.