Terme romane di Como

The Roman baths of Como preserve part of a large ancient complex beneath the modern city. Dating to the second half of the first century AD, the excavated remains occupy an area of about 1,500 square metres.

Why it matters

The site adds a substantial architectural record to Como's Roman history. Bathing establishments brought engineering, decoration and communal life together, and these remains help reveal that aspect of the ancient city beyond its street plan and defensive walls.

What to notice

Surviving walls and room divisions show the scale of the complex. Recovered plaster recalls the finished surfaces that once covered the masonry, providing evidence of interiors very different from the bare ruins. Finds from the excavation add information about the building and the people who used it.

Context and history

The baths belong to the imperial period of Roman Comum. Later construction concealed the ancient buildings within the growing city. Excavation and conservation recovered part of this earlier layer, preserving both structures and fragments of decoration. Their survival demonstrates how substantial ancient remains can persist beneath a modern urban setting.