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Castro Pretorio in Roma in Cittΰ metropolitana di Roma Capitale, Latium, Rome, Italy — Central Italy (Tyrrhenian Coast)
 

Le Terme di Diocleziano e La Certosa si Santa Maria Degli Angeli

The Baths of Diocletian and the Charterhouse of Santa Maria Degli Angeli

 
 
Le Terme di Diocleziano e La Certosa si Santa Maria Degli Angeli Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by James Hulse, March 1, 2024
1. Le Terme di Diocleziano e La Certosa si Santa Maria Degli Angeli Marker
Inscription.  Italian:
Le Terme di Diocleziano, le piω grandi del mondo romano, furono erette in soli otto anni, tra il 298 e il 306, nella zona tra i colli Viminale e Quirinale. Per la costruzione del complesso furono demoliti numerosi edifici pubblici e privati. Le Terme, che si estendevano su una superficie di oltre 13 ettari, erano delimitate da un ampio recinto con ingresso principale nel lato nord-orientale e, al centro del lato opposto, da una grande esedra con gradinate, corrispondente all'odierna piazza della Repubblica. Ai lati dell'esedra si trovavano due biblioteche affiancate, ai margini del recinto, da due sale circolari, una trasformata nel 1598 nella chiesa di S. Bernardo, l'altra tuttora visibile all'inizio di via del Viminale. Gli ambienti principali, frigidarium, tepidarium e calidarium, erano posti in successione lungo un asse centrale ai lati del quale si articolavano simmetricamente tutte le altre aule: accanto al frigidarium erano poste due grandi palestre scoperte, delle quali quella occidentale θ parzialmente visibile nell'area archeologia lungo via Cernaia. Allineate con il calidarium, erano
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due aule ottagone una delle quali fu utilizzata dal 1928 agli anni Ottanta del secolo scorso come planetario. Il complesso fu restaurato all'inizio del V secolo e rimase probabilmente in uso per pochi altri decenni. Dopo quasi mille anni di abbandono, nel 1561 Papa Pio IV decise di realizzare all'interno delle Terme una basilica con annessa certosa dedicata alla Madonna degli Angeli e alla memoria dei martiri cristiani che, secondo la leggenda, erano morti durante la costruzione delle Terme. II progetto fu affidato a Michelangelo che, rispettoso dell'edificio antico, utilizzς il frigidarium e il tepidarium senza alterarne le caratteristiche e ideς il Chiostro grande; negli stessi anni fu realizzato anche il Chiostro piccolo, adiacente al presbiterio della chiesa, che occupa circa un terzo della grande piscina delle Terme (natatio).

A partire dal 1575, con Gregorio XIII, le grandi aule delle terme furono trasformate in granai e depositi per l'olio. Nel 1889 il complesso delle Terme di Diocleziano e della Certosa divenne la sede del Museo Nazionale Romano.

English:
The Baths of Diocletian, the largest in the ancient Roman world, were built, in eight years only, on a flat area between Viminalis and Quirinalis hills. A large number of both private and public buildings were demolished to build. The complex covered and area
The view of the marker near the exit to the museum grounds image. Click for full size.
Photographed by James Hulse, March 1, 2024
2. The view of the marker near the exit to the museum grounds
of more than 13 hectares (some 32 acres), closed by a wide enclosure (376 x 361 metres), with the main entrance at the north-eastern side and, in the middle of the opposite side, a large exedra with steps corresponding to today's piazza della Repubblica. On both side of the exedra there were two libraries, flanked at the extremities by two circular halls; one of them was transformed in 1598 into the church of S. Bernardo, the other one is still visible at the beginning of via del Viminale. The mail halls frigidarium, the tepidarium, and the calidarium were aligned along a central axis; around this axis were placed, symmetrically, all the other halls. On the sides of the frigidarium were placed two large outdoor gymnasiums, the western one of which is partially visible in the archaeological area of Via Cernaia. Two octagonal halls were aligned caldarium. One of these was used, since 1928 till the eighties, as a planetarium. Complex was restored at the beginning of the sixth century AD and maybe used for few decades more. After almost thousand years, Pope Pius IV, in 1561, decided to build, in the internal area of the baths, a basilica consecrated to Our Lady of the Angels (Madonna degli Angeli), with a Charterhouse attached, to commemorate the Christian martyrs dead, according to the legend, during the construction of the Baths. Michelangelo, commissioned
The southwest exterior view of the Baths of Diocletian image. Click for full size.
Photographed by James Hulse, March 1, 2024
3. The southwest exterior view of the Baths of Diocletian
to plan the church, used both the frigidarium and the tepidarium areas without alterating the original structures and planned the mail Cloister; during those years the small Cloister adjacent to the curch's presbitery was built, and it occupies about a third of the natatio's surface.

Starting from 1575, with Pope Gregorius XIII, several halls of the baths were converted into warehouses to store grain and oil. In 1889 the complex of the the Baths of Diocletian and the Charterhouse became the home of Roman National Museum.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Anthropology & Archaeology. A significant historical year for this entry is 1598.
 
Location. 41° 54.181′ N, 12° 29.965′ E. Marker is in Roma, Lazio (Latium, Rome), in Cittΰ metropolitana di Roma Capitale. It is in Castro Pretorio. It is at the intersection of Viale Enrico de Nicola and Piazza dei Cinquecento on Viale Enrico de Nicola. The marker is located on the museum grounds of the Baths of Diocletian. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Viale Enrico de Nicola 78, Roma, Lazio 00185, Italy. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Europe, the European Union, the Schengen Area, a coastal Mediterranean country, and the Western World. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Byzantine Empire and specifically also the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Il Giardivο / The Garden (a few steps from this marker); Altari Funerari Iscritti / Inscribed Funerary Altars (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Altari Funerari Iscritti / Inscribed Funerary Altars
A section of the roof of the Baths of Diocletian image. Click for full size.
Photographed by James Hulse, March 1, 2024
4. A section of the roof of the Baths of Diocletian
(within shouting distance of this marker); Grandi Altari Funerari Iscritti / Large Inscribed Funerary Altars (within shouting distance of this marker); Cratere Colossale / Colossal Krater (within shouting distance of this marker); Cippi Funerali / Tomb Markers (within shouting distance of this marker); Cippi Funerari / Tomb Markers (within shouting distance of this marker); Stele Funeraril / Funerary Steles (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Roma.
 
More about this marker. There is a small fee to visit the Baths of Diocletian National Roman Museum.
 
Also see . . .  Baths of Diocletian. Wikipedia
The Baths of Diocletian (Latin: Thermae Diocletiani, Italian: Terme di Diocleziano) were public baths in ancient Rome. Named after emperor Diocletian and built from AD 298 to 306, they were the largest of the imperial baths. The project was originally commissioned by Maximian upon his return to Rome in the autumn of 298 and was continued after his and Diocletian's abdication under Constantius, father of Constantine.
(Submitted on March 4, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
A section of the Baths of Diocletian image. Click for full size.
Photographed by James Hulse, March 1, 2024
5. A section of the Baths of Diocletian
 
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on March 5, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 4, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 118 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 5, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
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Jun. 8, 2026