Termas Romanas do Alto da Cividade

Historic Site in Braga

Termas Romanas Do Alto Da Cividade
CC BY-SA 4.0 / Joseolgon

The Roman Thermae of Maximinus, also known as the Termas Romanas de Maximinos in Portuguese, are the ruins of a grand public bathhouse and monumental building constructed as part of the urban renewal of Bracara Augusta, the Roman provincial capital of Gallaecia (later Braga). The complex consisted of a bathhouse building and a theater, both of which were constructed in the second half of the 1st century BCE and remained in use until the end of the 3rd century, with some modifications made during that time. In the 4th century, the complex was drastically reduced and eventually abandoned by the 5th century.

The ruins reveal three periods of construction, beginning with the pre-thermae period of Julius Caesar and Claudius, followed by the construction of the public baths during the reigns of Flavius and Anthony, and finally the remodelling of the building in the 3rd century with a reduced courtyard.

Excavations at the site began in 1977 and continued until 1986, with further interventions made to specific points throughout the site. In 1994, the municipal council of Braga sought financing to acquire the necessary land to create an archaeological reserve for Colina de Maximinos. In 2004, a project was initiated to continue the preservation of the site, supported by the Plano Operacional da Cultura (Culture Operational Plan).

Between 2005 and 2006, the Archeological Unit of the University of Minho conducted excavations with the goal of uncovering the Roman theater alongside the site. Although the theater was discovered in 1999, it wasn’t until these later excavations that its remains were fully explored.


The Termas Romanas do Alto da Cividade appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Braga!

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Visiting Termas Romanas do Alto da Cividade

Hours:

9.30am-1pm & 2-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 11am-5.30pm Sat


Price:

adult/student €1.85/0.95

Address: Termas Romanas do Alto da Cividade, Rua Doutor Rocha Peixoto, Braga, Portugal
Duration: 20 minutes

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