Bath is a small and exquisite city with a population of just over 100,000 people. The River Avon, which flows through several counties, slowly passes through the city center, and the city is built on both sides of the river on the slopes of a gentle hill, one layer after another in a staggered manner. At the top of the hill is the famous University of Bath. Architecture is the fashion of the city and the engraving of its history. The sophistication of Bath is emphasized by the art of urban architecture. The buildings are old, but the style is unique and breathtaking.
Bath's architecture inherited both Romanesque and Romanesque styles, such as the famous Bath Cathedral (where the Queen stayed during her visit), with its soaring towers, pointed towers, stained-glass windows, and sculptures carved into the walls. Coexisting with this and more is another post-Gothic style, architecturally known as neo-classicalism, the most obvious difference between the two is in the upper frame of the doors and windows, the former is a pointed circle, the latter is rounded. This new style is peculiar to England, and has its origin in Bath, where it is still best preserved.
Ancient LegendsAncient legends tell of a "King's Bath"
Bath means "bath" in English. Legend has it that in the first century A.D., when Britain was still within the boundaries of ancient Rome, a prince named Bladud, who went to Athens to study, contracted leprosy and was banished to the countryside to raise sheep after returning home. Inadvertently, he found that the pigs and sheep often in the foot of the mountain in a mud pond with a strange smell rolling. So, the little prince went down to the mud pond to drive the pigs and sheep, but also from time to time in the mud pond next to a hot spring bath, every time after bathing back, feel comfortable. Over time, the minerals contained in the hot spring water cured his leprosy, and his skin became smooth. Later, he took over the throne to become king, not forgetting the Bath that has a strange smell of hot springs, they sent to the hot springs to test the water quality, found that the hot spring water is rich in sulfur and other minerals, on certain neurological and skin diseases have therapeutic effects, they ordered to dig deep wells to the hot spring water from the ground up, stored in the stone masonry in the huge pools, and built a large construction along the lines of the Roman style of the "king of the baths" and the temples, every year to bring princes and nobles to wash a few times, and the king of the bath. In the 16th century, the "Queen's Bath" was built next to it. To this day, the "throne" and the statue of the king are still preserved next to the old, steaming bath.
All of Bath
Jane Austen, the world-famous author of Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma and Persuasion, was born in Hampshire, but had a deep love affair with Bath, which she fell in love with in the late 18th century, when she and her sister spent two holidays in the city, and became famous for her book Pride and Prejudice. After moving to Bath with her retired father in 1801, the very intelligent Jane Austen delved into the cityscape and social life of Bath, especially the relationships of the middle class, and completed Persuasion and Northanger Abbey in quick succession.
Jane Austen MemorialThe Jane Austen Memorial sits in the center of the city, on Gale Street, and the streets, buildings, and cityscape are as beautiful, elegant, and orderly as they were 200 years ago. It is perhaps for this reason that BBC Films remade the TV series Persuasion and Northanger Abbey here the year before last. The small city of Bath, with its distinctive sophistication, beauty and culture, attracts many more tourists from Europe and around the world each year than it has inhabitants.
City styleThe buildings throughout the city are not too high or too low, and are almost uniform; the facades of the buildings are generally honey-colored, and the roofs are lime-colored, and the streets are lined with neatly manicured green trees and green lawns, and with the River Avon flowing through the city, and the undulating hills, at a glance, the taste of the Coetzee Woos, the countryside towns that are most beloved by the British, is very similar, and there is a kind of idyllic beauty. But the idyllic beauty of Bath and Cozeevoo that kind of pure and simple did not dip into the commercial flavor of the idyllic wind and a little different, Bath also with a little metropolitan style.
Bath street
After all, it's a city! Bath city in addition to the original medieval and 18th century King George era very characteristic of the building, there are still new buildings, however, urban planning is done well, these new buildings are always very cleverly blended in the old buildings, exudes a kind of soft coordination; the city's frequent commercial activities, restaurants, bookstores, boutiques, cinemas, and everything, but there is no rush and noise like in London, people walking in the vehicle People walking on the sparse streets are a relaxed and leisurely. That's how I felt when I walked up the main road from Sally's Reveal.
When I arrived at the circular square designed by John Wood, the classical architecture of King George's time really amazed me to the extreme: a consistent appearance surrounded by a semi-circle of honey-colored houses in the sunshine looks a golden; square circular green lawn in the center of a very large tree, green branches and leaves swaying with the breeze. Seeing such a scene, I really had a kind of "life, live here, how else" exclamation. Further up the road, all the guide books will mention the Royal Crescent building will come into view, a large green looks like it should be half of the weeds are not large lawn has a 30 honey-colored houses connected to a half-moon shaped complex, afternoon sunlight on the building has been converted into a hotel, the magnificent elegance of the atmosphere is self-evident. This is the classical architecture that John Wood, Jr. created to outshine his father's Circle in the Square. Crowds of people are playing soccer on the lawn, while others are lying on the grass, soaking up the warmth of the sun.
Bath Abbey ChurchAs well as English architecture, Bath has some slightly Italianate buildings. The Putney Bridge over the River Avon is a perfect example. Almost as soon as I reached the riverbank and saw the Pulteney Bridge, I had the illusion of being in Florence. The bridge, together with the River Avon, looks like the old bridge in Florence which was filled with jewelry stores, and coincidentally the Pulteney Bridge has small stores selling all kinds of small things.
This is Bath, a mixture of different eras and a little bit of the exotic. It has the beauty of the countryside and a relaxed pace, but it's not out of step with the trends. It's easy to have a picnic on the grass, as there's no shortage of large parks with beautiful plants and trees, and it's also easy to wander the streets, as the stores will never bore you with their window displays. Our stay in Bath was very short, but every step, she brought me a very different flavor, both quiet and lively is even more elegant, a small city intertwined with a fascinating magic, you can not help but want to stay here to enjoy her beautiful everything.
Tourist attractions Parliament HallParliament Hall was originally built in the second half of the 18th century, and was destroyed in World War II. The existing Parliament Hall is a post-war restoration of the original building, with luxurious chandeliers and spacious meeting rooms that reveal the splendor of the past.
Art GalleryThe Victoria Art Gallery was founded in 1897 and opened to the public in May 1900, with a small collection of 19th-century art. The paintings on the second floor range from the 15th century to the mid-20th century, and there are a number of John Nash's works, including The Bride of Death by Thomas Jones Barker, which is worth a closer look, and a number of other sculptures.
Abbey ChurchAbbey Church, at the eastern end of the Bath Spa, is a landmark in Bath, the site of the Bath International Music Festival and many other major festivals, and was once the coronation site for the first King of England. The Abbey Church in the center of the city was built in the 8th century and rebuilt in 1499 by the then Bishop Oliver, and is famous for its majestic stained glass and scalloped ceiling, and for the number of windows, which gave it the name of "The Light of the West". The courtyard in front of the church is frequented by street performers and vendors selling their wares. On the front of the church are stone carvings depicting Bishop Oliver meeting God in a dream to show him how to build the church and angels climbing a staircase to heaven. As you enter the church, you will see the striking stained-glass windows, with 56 scenes in 56 panes of glass recounting various events in the life of Jesus, including many stories from his birth to his crucifixion at the age of 33.
Famous bridgesPulteney Bridge, the world-famous Pulteney Bridge is located on the Avon River, the surrounding environment is elegant, there are many 18th-century King George-era buildings scattered on both sides of the bridge, stand at the head of the bridge, looking out over the Avon River on both sides of the scenery, as if in the Venetian city of water in general. Pulteney Bridge was built in 1769~1773, designed and constructed by the famous designer Robert Adam, nowadays Pulteney Bridge has become a must-visit place for traveling to Bath, and in summer, you can take a boat ride to visit the Avon River. Walking along Pulteney Street via Pulteney Bridge, you can enjoy the rolling hills and valleys, red tiles and green houses dotted with them, not only reminiscent of many writers depicted in the English countryside, it is fascinating.
Pulteney Bridge MuseumBathroom Museum
Bath's iconic landscape, preserving many of the exquisite thermal baths built during the Roman Empire era, there are the Great Bath located 6 meters below the ground, the hot springs of the King's Bath, as well as the ruins of the temple, the statue of the Mizanova, the wishing fountain, and a variety of ceremonial artifacts of great ornamental value. During the era when the Roman Empire ruled Britain, the Romans built many large baths with saunas and pools in Bath, and also designated the area as the domain of Minola, the goddess of water and wisdom, and built magnificent palaces. As the years passed, most of these buildings were buried underground until the late 19th century, when Britain reawakened the monuments that had been lying dormant underground. Located in the center of the museum, the Great Bath is an open-air bath, only discovered in the 1870s, the Great Bath poolside steps, stone plinths are relics of the Roman era, the pool water temperature is maintained at about 46.5 degrees Celsius, the statue on the platform is a monument to Caesar and others built in the 19th century.
Museum of the Roman BathsMuseum of Costume
The Museum of Costume, located in the center of the city, displays a wide range of clothing and jewelry from the 16th century to the modern day, and one of the most interesting things to see is the evolution of dresses from ancient times to the present day and the symbols of the floral patterns, which will be of interest even to the men who visit.
RotundaMany of Bath's oldest and most spectacular buildings are the work of John Wood and his son, whose father, John Wood, Sr. designed Bath's city plan in the 18th century with a rotunda to symbolize the sun and a royal crescent to symbolize the moon, both connected by Brook Street, and since then, this form of street housing in the form of a circular or crescent-shaped plaza has become a fashionable trend, and has had a significant impact on the city of London and Edinburgh, Scotland. and Edinburgh in Scotland have had a great impact on urban planning.
The Circus*** has 528 distinctive emblems and sculptures of art and science on the street houses and stone pillars that stretch across the Circus, all designed by John Wood himself and completed by his son in 1754. These ideas and shapes are reminiscent of the prehistoric rounded monoliths of Salzburg, near Bath, from which Wood was perhaps inspired, and for which he is regarded as an 18th-century Symbolist, whose works have become classics of architectural history.
The CrescentThe Royal Crescent is the most imposing of Bath's large old buildings, erected between 1767 and 1775, and consisting of 30 linked blocks decorated in Italianate style, with 114 columns***. Royal Crescent Road and houses are arranged in the shape of a crescent arc, the beautiful curve is mesmerizing, showing the elegance of the aristocratic style, known as Britain's noblest street. Crescent Building No. 1 for the museum, exhibiting a number of valuable cultural relics, portraits, etc., and part of the Royal Crescent Hotel, is one of the highest level of local star hotel.
Royal Crescent House BathBath is famous worldwide for its unique thermal baths, and there is an old story about the origin of Bath Spa. A long time ago, when King Lear's father Bradood was still a prince, unfortunately infected with leprosy, was expelled to this land, in order to make a living, the prince had to raise pigs for a living. Pigs like to eat acorns, one day, greedy pigs see a pond floating in the acorns, they scrambled in, the prince had to go down to the pond to catch the pigs on shore. The pond was surprisingly hot, and the prince was even a little out of breath when he got to shore, but he suddenly realized that his leprosy was cured. The prince was so happy that he refurbished the pond as a hot spring bath, and after he ascended to the throne as king, he built a city named after himself - Bladud.
Bath ArchitectureIn the 1st century A.D., the Romans invading Britain saw the beautiful and pleasant hot springs here, and named the place "Bath" (Bath, i.e., "baths"), and constructed a number of luxurious baths throughout the city, which survive in good condition. The surviving Roman baths are located in the Roman Imperial Baths Museum in the center of the city, which is regarded as a symbol of the city, and Bath has become a world-famous spa resort.
BathThe program of the Roman baths consisted of an exercise and games room to loosen up the body, followed by a sauna or Turkish bath, and finally a dip in a cold pool. Mixed bathing was common in public baths until the 2nd century A.D., but it was banned by order of King Hadrian, so some bathhouses separated the bathing times for men and women, while others built additional baths so that men and women could bathe at the same time in different baths.
Once someone asked the king of Rome why he had to take a bath every day, and this king replied helplessly: "Because I am too busy, so I can't take a bath twice a day!" It can be seen that bathing and showering was a favorite daily activity of the Romans, as common as social activities. The bathhouse was also an important place for socializing among the Romans, and the social status of a person could be seen from the quality of the spices and *** oils used in his bath, as well as the number of attendants. Many business transactions were decided in the bathhouse, and the bathhouse was also an excellent place for philosophers to exchange views and talk. The Roman baths in Bath are still a major tourist attraction in the area, and almost all hotels have Roman-style baths, allowing visitors to experience the luxury of the Roman aristocracy.
Transportation Guide External Transportation1, train: Bath is located in southwest England, about 100 miles from London, London - Bath Railway trunk line is located in London - Bristol Harbor railroad line, Bath special line train operating time from 7:15 ~ 21:30 in the morning, an average of half an hour, from London Paddington Station to Bath Spa Train Station ( BathSpaStation). BathSpaStation) in about 1.5 hours, the ticket ranges from 10-50 pounds (depending on the time of departure, the price will be higher during the peak commuting period).
2, highway: London Victoria coach station (Victoria) to and from the bus terminal in Bath, a lot of shuttle buses, on average, every 2 hours, one-way time about 3 ~ 3.5 hours, the fare is 20 pounds one-way, round trip 30 pounds.
Internal transportation
1, bus: Bath bus terminal is located in DorchesterSt. adjacent to the spa train station, bus terminal and Bath Tourist Information Center are selling tickets for the city sightseeing bus, you can take the sightseeing bus throughout the day at will (CitySightseeing) to visit the main attractions in Bath. Cost: Adults ￡7.50, students ￡6.50, children under 5 free, family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) ￡20.
2. Taxi:There are generally two main places to take a taxi in Bath, one is the Spa train station, and the other is the street behind Abbey Cathedral. In fact, there is basically no need to take a taxi to explore the city of Bath, you can walk or take a tour bus. To get to the surrounding countryside or the airport (Bristol), the fare is usually ￡30-50.
About the University of BathAlthough the University of Bath was only granted a Royal Charter in 1996, its history dates back to 1856. The University of Bath is now internationally recognized as a leading university and specializes in architecture, education, engineering, management, modern languages, computer science, statistics, European studies, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, pharmacy, social sciences and sports science. The University of Bath was ranked 18th in the UK in the 2008 *** sponsored Research Assessment Exercise for UK Universities (RAE 2008). Over the years, the University of Bath has been widely recognized as one of the top 10 universities in the UK in lists published by various authorities in the UK. It has an excellent reputation within the UK and in Europe.
The university consists of the School of Engineering and Design, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Science, and the School of Management, each of which offers university, research institute & research programs. The University of Bath's School of Management is ranked 14th in the UK, 50th in Europe and 62nd in Europe on average over the last three years in the Financial Times' 2013 European Business School Rankings, and is recognized as one of the best business schools in the UK.
FacilitiesShops, cafeterias, lecture halls, laboratories, and student residences are all located around the walking area. The University Library and Learning Center is the only academic library in the UK that is open all day and night, and there are 1,600 networked computers available to students, most of which are connected to the campus-wide Internet. The 200-acre campus has free state-of-the-art sports and leisure facilities, including an Olympic-standard swimming pool, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a boomerang court and a multi-purpose stadium.
WelfareThe University provides a strong support and information network for international students, with student advisors, tutors, clergy, a medical center, an English language center, and an international office working closely to meet the needs of international students. International students are guaranteed a single room in the University's halls of residence or in a Bath city residence for the duration of their studies, and staff in the Accommodation Office will assist students in finding suitable accommodation with a family in the city. The Student Activities Center is very active*** with over 100 clubs and societies, and the International Students' Association provides a great opportunity to meet and socialize with other international students.
LocationThe school is located on the outskirts of Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage City. London is 170 kilometers east of Bath, an 80-minute train ride away, or a two-and-a-half hour bus or train ride from Heathrow Airport.
OtherThe school offers year-round and summer pre-semester English and study skills courses, as well as part-time language courses during the academic year. There are a number of university departmental residential scholarships covering one year's accommodation and a number of postgraduate scholarships, contact the Admissions Office for details.
Entertainment and Leisure TheatresThere are three major theatres in Bath, the most famous of which is the Theatre Royal in the city center, which was founded in 1805, and the UstinovStudio (on Monmouth St.), known for its bold and open performances, as well as the Rondo Theatre, which is one of the venues for the Bath Film Festival.
CruisingBath and Bristol are the UK's best-known hot air ballooning cities, with many high mountain valleys providing good balloon take-off sites, and are a favorite local excursion.
SpaBath is one of the world's most famous hot springs. The fine Roman baths have been turned into a museum of Roman baths and are no longer available to visitors, but there are many hotels and recreation centers in Bath that have antique-style spa baths, providing a great place to relax in natural, healthy hot springs and comfortable, well-equipped baths.
Lounge bars1. AllBarOne.
2. PoNaNa.
3. Babylon Nightclub.
Specialty Restaurants TeahouseUsed to be a pump house supplying mineral water, and later developed into a teahouse, where you can enjoy live piano and violin performances while savoring a variety of coffees and black teas with refreshing and sweet water, and a first-class environment with high taste.
Famous RestaurantsSally Lou's is one of Bath's oldest restaurants, built in 1482, where you can enjoy delicious round French bread, baked to order, as well as a tour of the Kitchen Museum in the basement and the ruins of the Roman medieval building.
Special recommendation: Sally Lou's round bread, almost 20 centimeters in diameter, which can be served with different flavors of jam or toppings such as bacon, salad, tomato, etc. For 300 years, the round bread has been the most famous dish in Bath.
Famous RestaurantsThe Bath Boatman Hotel, founded in 1833, is an old hotel on the banks of the River Avon and is a popular upmarket restaurant. Open all day Monday; Tuesday to Saturday 12:00~14:00 and 18:00~21:30; Sunday 12:00~14:00 (no dinner); open as usual on holidays.
Moonlight Restaurant:Open:11:00~14:00,17:30~22:30.
AccommodationRoyal Crescent Hotel:The main body of the hotel is an 18th century King George era building, which is a part of the famous Royal Crescent, surrounded by numerous monuments and attractions, it is the highest grade star hotel in Bath.
Bath Spa Guesthouse, Chesterfield Guesthouse, Inn 93, Bath Youth Hostel:*** The 125-bed hostel is situated in the hills on the edge of the city, and is accessible by minibus 18 from outside the John Hall Tool store opposite the city bus station (15 minutes walk from the museum), which drops you off in front of the hostel.
Tourist AttentionThe Bath Tourist Information Center is located in the city center and provides visitors with detailed tourist information consulting services, including attraction descriptions, transportation advice, and hotel reservations. The center offers free guided tours at 10:30am and 14:00pm every day, explaining the main tourist attractions and history of Bath. In addition, the center offers a free periodical, ThisMonthinBath, which provides visitors with information on current seasonal attractions, festivals and theatre releases in Bath.
Shopping GuideThe Guildhall Market
The market has been a popular shopping destination for locals since over 700 years and is housed in a beautifully restored building dating back to 1284, with a wide range of stalls selling all sorts of gifts, toys, furniture and food.
Podium Shopping Centre
One of the largest shopping centers in Bath, with more than 500 parking spaces, branches of international shopping chains, supermarkets, souvenir stores, specialty restaurants and bars.
Brett Street Antiques Market
This is a paradise for antique lovers, with a concentration of more than 160 stores with ceramics, clocks, jewelry, blankets, paintings, embroidery, silverware and much more.
Festivals The Puppetry FestivalEvery year, from March 25 to April 2, Bath hosts a huge International Puppetry Festival, with large-scale puppetry shows and parades.
Music FestivalsOne of the world's most famous music festivals is the Bath International Music Festival, which takes place from late May to early June every year, with the main event taking place at the local Abbey Church. The festival began in 1949 and has been held for more than 50 times, with great artists such as violinist Manuel Mannion and ballet star Nureyev taking part in the event. During the festival, not only can you enjoy some of the world's most exciting artistic performances, but you can also watch the grand fireworks parade and lively street carnivals.
Film FestivalHeld annually in mid-to-late October, the festival has been held successfully for 14 years. The festival is a major local cultural event that showcases outstanding films, directors and actors by presenting the best of the world's cinema.