St. Barbara Thermal Baths

These were not intended as the largest thermal baths north of the Alps, but the St. Barbara Thermal Baths, built around 150 A.D. are the largest still intact bath complex. In the subterranean heating area, a whole army of slaves used to work at keeping the water at the right temperature. The foundation walls of the cellar rooms and the ground floor rooms are well preserved to this day. The thermal baths were equipped with every opulence such as marble, reliefs and sculptures. They were used over a period of 300 years and as a result the structure remained intact right up to the departure of the Romans. Then, around 1300, the baths began to fall into disrepair because of lack of interest.

The baths were dismantled in the 16th century in order to build a Jesuit college, and what was left of them was blown up by the French General Vignory. Today the underground passageways are, as a result, only partly accessible.

Viewing is possible via a specially constructed visitors' jetty, enabling you to observe the Barbara Baths from above. These baths are also a cultural monument of the UNESCO World Heritage “Roman Buildings in Trier”.