Ballet marks return of water to ancient Baths of Caracalla in Rome

The return of water to the ancients Baths of Caracallain Rome, after more than a thousand years, was celebrated this Friday (12) with a ballet performance on a platform over a pool recently installed on site.

One of the largest thermal baths ever built in history, construction of the bathhouse was begun by Emperor Septimius Severus in 212 and completed four years later by his successor, Caracalla. Today, the ruins are a major tourist attraction, hosting concerts and a theater.

This month, local authorities unveiled a plan to reintroduce water to the site, installing a large, shallow pool that reflects the imposing walls of the ancient buildings.

The pool, called Specchio, or mirror in Italian, is a rectangular structure measuring 42 by 32 meters and 10 centimeters deep, designed by architects Hannes Peer and Paolo Bornello.

It is made to resemble the so-called Natatio, the largest of the large pools in ancient Roman baths, usually located in the center of the complex.

“Water, an element that has been absent for over a thousand years, returns decisively but respectfully to the ruins,” said Mirella Serlorenzi, director of the site.

The installation, which features underwater water jets and lighting effects, is part of a wider project by Rome's cultural authorities to bring the city's ancient attractions closer to how they were originally conceived.

Friday’s opening performance of Aterballetto, choreographed by Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich, will be the first in a series of dance, theater and classical music performances to be held at Caracalla this spring and summer.