PAST PERFECT

The preservation of Bath’s architectural heritage shows that conservation needs to be a concerted and long-standing effort by public and private participants

- NEETA LAL

Nestled between the rolling hills of Somerset beside river Avon, just two hours by train from the hubbub of London, sit the Palladian buildings of Bath, a city founded by the Romans in 1st century AD as a thermal spa. The Roman bathhouses and the city’s enthralling architecture have earned it the status of a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Called the ‘Monte Carlo of Britain’, Bath became a thriving spa resort, attracting the fashionable sections of society from 17th century onwards. They flocked here looking for both a cure for their illnesses—“take the waters”, as it was once known—as well as the perfect spot to hobnob. Today the city hosts one of the world’s best-preserved Roman Baths, the Gothic splendour of Bath Abbey, the 200-year-old Royal Theatre, and the Queen Square complex with its unique edifices. Interlinked spaces formed by crescents, terraces and squares blend seamlessly into lush greenery.

Incredibly, many of the city’s Roman attractions, several of which are subterranean, still exist in excellent condition, and are visited by over a million tourists every year. “Though there has been some loss of Georgian buildings elsewhere, Bath remains remarkably well-preserved despite its provenance going back more than 2,000 years,” says my local guide, as we walk on Roman pavements past the Temple of Sulis Minerva, the Roman town of Aquae Sulis, and the bath complex.