One of ancient Rome’s most impressive monuments is about to reveal its nocturnal face. For a limited series of evenings, spread between October and early November (until Nov. 2), the majestic Caracalla bath complex will exceptionally extend its access hours, offering an incredibly atmospheric atmosphere.
Tours scheduled through November
Visitors will have the opportunity to join guided tours of short duration (forty minutes), organized for small groups. The tours will be conducted in Italian and English, with the possibility of other translations upon explicit request.
Daniela Porro, Special Superintendent of Rome:“the evening openings at the Baths of Caracalla represent a unique opportunity to experience one of the symbolic places of ancient Rome in a new and immersive dimension, we offer visitors not only the chance to admire the architectural grandeur of the baths and to discover the undergrounds and the mithraeum, but also to live a sensory experience thanks to the scenic effects at the water mirror, for a journey between history and contemporaneity.”
The evening tours will allow entry to sections of the site usually hidden from the general public. Prominent among these are the hypogean environments, which branch out below the entire bathing area. These spaces house the site’s antiquarium, containing exceptionally important finds, including two magnificent mixed-style capitals dating from the Severan period.
The discovery will go as far as the complex’s Mithraeum, the largest found in the capital and unique in its location within such a large thermal architecture. This place of worship, rich in esoteric signs, preserves fragments of the sacrificial altar and the remains of decorations dedicated to the solar god Mithras.
Historical and Architectural Notes
The Baths of Caracalla, whose official name is Thermae Antoninianae, were inaugurated in 216 AD by Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Bassianus (known as Caracalla). They were not just a place for hygiene, but a true social and cultural center that could accommodate more than 1,600 people at once. The structure included gymnasiums (palestrae), libraries and meeting rooms, as well as the classic thermal sections: frigidarium (cold water), tepidarium (warm water) and calidarium (hot water).
Useful information
Available evenings: Oct. 24, 25, 30 and Nov. 1 and 2, from 7 p.m.
🎟️ Tickets can be purchased exclusively on the Italian Museums portal. Ordinary €20.00 (€8 admission + €12 guided tour), reduced €12.00. Daytime admission will be free on November 4 on the occasion of National Unity and Armed Forces Day.