Forum Baths

People had stumbled upon the ruins by accident while digging a pit for an underground car park. What they saw there proved to be so important that the location of the underground car park was moved, thereby saving at least part of the archaeological find, and a structure designed by German architect Oswald Mathias Ungers was built over them. He created a monumental glass building inspired by street paving that had also been designed by him, giving the impression that the paving at the site of the Forum Baths had somehow elevated itself and exposed the historic heritage. Today, the Forum Baths boast the most elaborate casing in the city – in the form of the ‘Ungers Building’. So they’re totally fine with the fact that they don’t bear the title of ‘UNESCO World Heritage Site’. After all, true historic greatness can stand alone.

A must for: Marketgoers and believers in coincidences. Architecture and symbolism enthusiasts. Elevator-riders and stair-climbers.

Stone: 60%
Glass: 80%
Reflection: 20%


PSSSST! THE INSIDER TIP:
The Forum Baths are also regularly used for events. The wine forum every January is particularly popular, with wine connoisseurs and enthusiasts meeting at literally award-winning wineries from the entire Moselle wine region: The best of the ‘state prize’ (Landesweinprämierung), ‘honorary prize’ (Ehrenpreis) and ‘state honorary prize’ (Staatsehrenpreis) winners. Some 200 different types of wines can be tasted. But Bacchus put speed ahead of pleasure: Tickets always go on sale from the end of the year prior, and some sessions usually sell out very quickly. For more information, visit www.weinforum-trier.de.