In pics: The underwater city of Baia
Once a marvel, now in ruins
The classical Roman city of Baia was the equivalent of the era's Las Vegas for hedonists in its prime, but these days its ruins are having a party underwater.
Magnificent views of a submerged Roman resort town
Baia, a well-known resort town for centuries, catered to the leisure needs of the wealthy and powerful among the Roman elite.
Scooba divers discover the Roman wonder
The city, which was built over naturally occurring volcanic vents, was renowned for its curative hot springs, which were abundant around the city and relatively simple to construct spas over.
Intricate flooring
Numerous important individuals from antiquity, including Nero, Cicero, and Caesar, are known to have visited the city and some of them even constructed long-term holiday homes there.
Visitors exploring the submerged city
Unfortunately, the good times did not last, and in the eighth century the city was devastated. The ruins of the formerly opulent town were deserted by 1500. Most of the ancient ruins were submerged beneath the shallow waters of the bay after the city ruins were cleared away as a result of the same volcanic vents that formerly attracted visitors to the area.
Underwater Roman figurine
Baia is one of the few underwater archaeological parks in the world open to visitors. Glass-bottomed boats, snorkelling, or even scuba diving allow visitors to see the city's numerous ruins while swimming among the surprisingly well-preserved statues and crumbling buildings up close.
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