Thermes de Cluny
We continue on Rue de la Sorbonne straight to Musée de Cluny.
This is a very special place as we have here in one location the remains of Roman baths and one of the oldest mansions in Paris, Hôtel Cluny.
The remains of the Roman baths are considered to be about one third of the original structure from the beginning of the 3rd C. Best preserved is the cold bath, frigidarium, an open hall, 21 meters to 11 meters and with a height of 14,5 meters. The hot bath, caldarium, and the tepid bath, tepidarium, have for the most part been destroyed.
Hotel Cluny
This and the Arènes de Lutèce, mentioned earlier on this walk, are the only remains from Roman times in Paris. In addition, Paris has the Roman fame of being the place where the garrison proclaimed Julianus Apostata as Roman emperor in 360.
Hôtel Cluny
We enter the museum in Hôtel de Cluny.
The abbey, partly built upon the ruins of the baths, is well known in the history of architecture. There are only two Gothic mansions left in Paris. One is Hôtel de Sens and this is the other. The Gothic style is evident in the exterior decoration of the abbey.
The abbey is now an art museum concentrating on antique tapestries.
