Hüfingen Roman Bath Ruins

Hüfingen, Germany

Hüfingen Roman Bath Ruins (Römische Badruine Hüfingen) are an extraordinary testimony to the Roman culture of bathing and one of the oldest examples of baths in a fortress north of the Alps.

Around 70 AD, Roman legions crossed the Alps to construct and secure the Danube Limes, or Roman frontier. At the western end, in today’s Hüfingen, the Brigobannis fortress was built. This boasted a sophisticated road network, an adjoining settlement for civilians and a balineum – a bathhouse for the soldiers.

The Roman baths in Hüfingen are slightly west of the fortress, situated in a valley beneath Galgenberg hill. Not long after their construction, members of the public from the nearby settlement began paying a small fee to come and enjoy the hot waters and steam baths alongside Roman soldiers. A hypocaust, an ingenious Roman underground heating system, ensured the water was warm and kept the floors and walls at an agreeable temperature.

The baths in Hüfingen are an example of a balineum with a blocklike structure, where all rooms were built as compactly as possible. The entire complex – excluding annexes – has an area of around 570 m². Around half of this space was taken up by a generously sized room for undressing and relaxation: the apodyterium, which had a cool-water pool at its centre.

Around 30 years after the baths were constructed, the 11th legion was forced to move on as the Danube frontier was shifted. But the settlement at the foot of the fortress remained intact – as did the 600 m² bathing complex. In 1820, Prince Karl Egon II ordered the excavation of the site and the construction of a protective outer building. Its shape is similar to the barns characteristic of this Black Forest region. Today, visitors to the ruins can gain fascinating insight into the history of the Romans and their bathing customs.

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More Information

www.badruine-huefingen.de

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Agm Verburg (16 months ago)
Nice excavation, nice to walk above and along it. Unfortunately only a brief explanation of what you are looking at. That could have been explained with a few drawings. Note 2x: 1) 30 km speed incl speed camera 2) only pay cash
Kerstin Steinberg (17 months ago)
Great excursion! With "Annis Schwarzwald-Geheimnis" we got to know the area wonderfully. Solve 10 puzzles - each leads to the next station.
Martina W. (20 months ago)
Nice place with several hiking trails, unfortunately I wasn't in the ruin itself because it was closed.
Hannes Reizuch (21 months ago)
had closed. Through the windows I could see half-ruined quarrystone walls. Well ..... 3€ entrance fee. I like the "Bringo". Highly recommended for families with small children. It is a Roman nature trail with explanation boards along the way.
Thorsten Gansen (2 years ago)
You don't necessarily have to have seen it.
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