The Museum of Roman Spa in Chaves is today one of the most visited spaces in the city. Considered the largest Roman resort of the Iberian Peninsula – and one of the largest in Europe – the site tells two thousand years of history, in a city that has always lived around thermal water.
The spas are composed of several pools fueled by a natural circuit that remains virtually intact. A testimony that, at the time of the Roman Empire, the waters of Chaves were used for therapeutic and well-being purposes.
This resort was overwhelmed for centuries, after an earthquake, and was only discovered during the excavations for the construction of a parking lot.
Archaeologists, who initially sought traces of an old restoration period, eventually found a true archaeological treasure that helps to reconstruct the city’s past.
Open to the public since 2021, the space has been transformed into an interactive museum that allows visitors to know closely the discoveries made on site.
Today, it is a living ruin that receives about 100,000 visitors a year. Admission is free.
