BATH (England)
Bath is a historic Roman city. It is a World Heritage Site , situated 100 miles west of London. A unique location, Bath is famous for itshot springs , Roman period baths, Medieval heritage and stately Georgian architecture. Set amongst the rolling Somerset countryside, Bath (population 80,000+) offers a diverse range of attractions for its millions of visitors each year: restaurants, theatres, cinemas, pubs and nightclubs, along with interesting museums, and a wide range of guided tours.
Bath is the oldest of England’s principal tourist destinations and has been welcoming visitors for millennia. The three hot springs within the city were sacred to the Celtic goddess Sulis, whom the Romans later identified with the goddess Minerva. Bath first achieved its status as a sacred spa site with the growth of the Roman settlement Aquae Sulis around the thermal springs. The Roman period saw a vast complex of baths constructed - the remains of these were re-discovered in the 18th century and helped fuel Bath's modern revival as a luxury resort.
Bath was a prosperous city in the Medieval period, the site of an Abbey and Cathedral. The Reformation under Henry VIII saw some uncertainty emerge in Bath's future, although the reign of Elizabeth I saw the first revival of the town as a spa resort. It was during the Georgian period, however, that Bath came once again into its own. Exceedingly fashionable, Bath was laid out in stately avenues, streets and crescents, encrusted with Neo-Classical public buildings.
More recently Bath suffered a lot of damage during air raids in World War 2. The prestigious crescents and terraces were relatively unscathed and restored where necessary.
• Roman Baths. Built by the Romans around 2000 years ago, and later rediscovered by the Victorians, the Roman Baths are the must-see tourist attraction in Bath. The baths are fueled by England's only mineral hot springs outputting over a million litres of hot water each day. You can wander the rooms that made up the baths, including the large open air 'Great Bath', see Roman, medieval, and Georgian architecture, and learn about the history of Bath Spa. The Baths are superbly maintained and the exhibits are filled with eye-popping archaeology.
• Bath Abbey , - the last Gothic church in England, started in 1499 and built on the ruins of the former Norman cathedral, this impressively large church (of small cathedral proportions) is located next to the Roman Baths. A place of Australian pilgrimage: Arthur Phillip, first Governor of New South Wales and founder of the city of Sydney has his burial and memorial within the Abbey.
• Pulteney Bridge & Pulteney Weir - Was designed by Robert Adam completed in 1773. It is one of only four bridges in the world with shops across the full span on both sides and overlooks the impressive Pulteney Weir. Tourist trips by boat leave from the Weir during summer months.
Great Pulteney Street - Quintessential Georgian street on the other side of Pulteney Bridge. Film location for 2005's 'Vanity Fair' (the Reese Witherspoon version). Made for casual strolling past the Laura Place fountain, down to the Holborne Museum, around Sydney Gardens, then back up Great Pulteney Street. Below Great Pulteney Street is the Recreation Ground, home of the Bath rugby
• The Royal Crescent, a magnificent crescent of houses designed by John Wood and completed in 1774. You can visit one of the houses which has been redecorated to resemble what it would have been like at the end of the 18th century. But you don't need to go in to admire the exterior and its view over Bath. There is also a large semicircular shaped lawn out the front owned by the Royal Crescent residen
Bath is home to the University of Bath, a very well respected institution that focuses on the sciences, engineering and social sciences. Bath University has world-class sports facilities used by British olympic athletes. It is located at the top of Bathwick hill, about one mile east of the city centre.
Many Bathonians are employed in the tourist industry. There is also a thriving retail and dining industry, and the university is another source for jobs. Future Publishing, a large magazine and media company, has many offices in Bath. More recently Help Hire has moved into the city - and now sponsors Bath Rugby.
Bath has one of the highest percentages of independent shops in any British highstreet. Walcot street near the top of town has almost exclusively independent stores, but often the less established shops have to close within months of opening due to combining factors of high rent prices and just lack of demand of product.
Local specialties
• Bath Buns are a buttery bun with large bits of sugar and raisins on top and can be bought at any bakers.
• Sally Lunn's Buns are bigger, with no sugar and raisins, and can be enjoyed at Sally Lunn's Refreshment House with sweet or savoury fillings
• Bath Oliver Biscuits are available worldwide from supermarkets and delis.
Water
You can drink the hot Bath mineral water in the Pump Rooms in the Abbey Churchyard. It costs about 50p and is served from a fountain in the restaurant area. The experience is unforgettable, largely due to the strange taste due to the minerals that the Romans believed had health benefits for the drinker.
from Wikipedia
NI2E
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- Speaking: Picture description in depth. Remaember to locate people , use the present continuous , modal verbs and periphrasis if you don´t know the exact word.
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- Homework: a composition and a speaking activity with a given topic where you have to state your opinion.