Roman baths in Germany, Potsdam spa
Rating: 8,1/10 ( votes)  A very striking element of the Sanssouci Park in Potsdam are the Roman Baths, located next to the Charlottenhof Palace and perfectly fit into the general park landscape. This is a separate Italian corner with its own special atmosphere. After the completion of the Charlottenhof, the architect Friedrich Schinkel, at the suggestion of Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm, decided to create a complex of buildings made in the Italian style, which was very popular then. The baths were supposed to resemble the old Italian Florentine villas. In fact, the Roman baths practically did not fulfill their direct functions, being rather another architectural delight of the Sanssouci Park. However, they were equipped with the latest modern technology. So, on the territory of the baths, a special 'machine lake' was artificially created, supplying water to a nearby boiler room with a steam engine, over which there were always thick clouds of steam. Strictly shaped buildings were grouped around the inner the courtyard where corn, tobacco and artichokes grew, creating the atmosphere of a 15th century Italian courtyard. The baths were also decorated with the herms of Dionysus, Pompeian columns, fountains and simply lush vegetation. Even an antique-style centaur sarcophagus can be found here.   
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