Bath

Bath is a city in South West England most famous for its baths fed by three hot springs. The city was first documented as a Roman spa, although tradition suggests that it was founded earlier. The waters from its spring were believed to be a cure for many afflictions. From Elizabethan to Georgian times it was a resort city for the wealthy. As a result of its popularity during the latter period, the city contains many fine examples of Georgian architecture, most notably the Royal Crescent. The city has a population of over 90,000 and is a World Heritage Site.

Culture

During the 18th century, Bath was an extremely fashionable cultural hub, attracting the aristocracy and gentry from all over the country. This gave the city the finance and incentive to undertake large cultural developments. It was during this time that Bath's Theatre Royal was first built, as well as architectural triumphs such as Lansdown Crescent, the Royal Crescent, The Circus and Pulteney Bridge. Despite the cultural decline during the 19th century, these fixed structures provided, and even necessitated, a lasting cultural tradition within the city.

Related Topics:
Theatre Royal - Architectural - Lansdown Crescent - Royal Crescent - The Circus - Pulteney Bridge

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Today, Bath holds three theatres—Theatre Royal, Ustinov Studio and Rondo Theatre—attracting internationally renowned companies and directors, including Peter Hall. The city also has a long standing musical tradition; Bath Abbey is home to the recently renovated Klais Organ and is the largest concert venue in the city, seeing about 20 concerts and 26 organ recitals each year. The city holds both the Bath International Music Festival and Mozartfest every year. Other festivals include the annual Bath Film Festival.

Related Topics:
Theatre - Theatre Royal - Ustinov Studio - Rondo Theatre - Peter Hall - Bath Abbey - Klais Organ - Bath International Music Festival - Mozartfest - Bath Film Festival

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The city is home to the Victoria Art Gallery, Museum of East Asian Art, and The Holburne Museum of Art, as well as the museums The Bath Postal Museum, The Museum of Costume, The Jane Austen Centre and of course the Roman Baths.

Related Topics:
Victoria Art Gallery - Museum of East Asian Art - The Holburne Museum of Art - The Bath Postal Museum - The Museum of Costume - The Jane Austen Centre - Roman Baths

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Bath in the arts

Many members of English society experienced Bath during its heyday. Though most merely visited the city, some stayed to live there, and several included it in literary works.

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Perhaps the best known resident of Bath was Jane Austen, who lived in the city from 1801 until 1806. However, Jane Austen never liked the city, and wrote to her sister Cassandra "It will be two years tomorrow since we left Bath for Clifton, with what happy feelings of escape." Despite her feelings regarding the city, the Jane Austen Centre and a city walk based on Austen have been founded in Bath. After leaving the city, Austen wrote two novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion (written 1816, published 1818), which are largely set in the city and feature topical descriptions of taking the waters, social life, and cultural resources such as music recitals.

Related Topics:
Jane Austen - 1801 - 1806 - Northanger Abbey - Persuasion - 1816 - 1818

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Charles Dickens' novel Pickwick Papers also features Bath, and satirises its social life. Pickwick takes the waters and his servant, Sam Weller, comments that the water has "a very strong flavour o' warm flat irons", while the Royal Crescent is the venue for a chase between two of the characters, Dowler and Winkle.

Related Topics:
Charles Dickens - Pickwick Papers - Sam Weller - Royal Crescent

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Moyra Caldecott's novel The Waters of Sul is set in Roman Bath in 72 AD. Richard Brinsley Sheridan's play The Rivals is also set in Bath.

Related Topics:
Moyra Caldecott - 72 - Richard Brinsley Sheridan - The Rivals

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In 2004, a movie version of Thackeray's Vanity Fair was largely filmed in Bath.

Related Topics:
2004 - Movie version - Thackeray - Vanity Fair

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The 1980s band Tears for Fears is from Bath.

Related Topics:
1980s - Tears for Fears

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