FB Cold Room

FB Cold Room

View looking south at the circular pool of the cold room (frigidarium).  The niches in the frescoed walls originally contained statues.


The Forum Baths are located just north of the Central Forum of Pompeii—north of the Temple of Jupiter.  The men's section is much larger than the women's.  There are entrances into the bath from streets on the east, north, and west. The women's section has separate entrances and has not been open to the public during my visits to Pompeii.

This bath was constructed when the colony of Pompeii was founded in 80 B.C.  Like many buildings in Pompeii, it was severely damaged in the earthquake of A.D. 62.  The well–preserved frescos and stucco work date to that restoration.  Thus, these were only 18 years old when Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79.