History:
Bath is a city of breathtaking beauty with a romantic history. Ever since the legendary Prince Bladud was restored to health around BC860 by the mysterious waters, people have journeyed here. The Celts dedicated the hot springs to their deity Sul. Then the Romans in 43AD created a great temple in honour of their goddess Minerva over the healing springs. Today's visitors are fascinated by the most famous Roman remains in Britain. However, it is the classical architecture of the eighteenth-century Georgian Bath that today offers us such a feast for the eye. The importance of Bath was recognised in 1987 with designation 'World Heritage Site', the only city so honoured in Britain. No visitor to Bath leaves unrefreshed or without a profound sense of gratitude for the gifts of the past. Three remarkable men were largely responsible for the creation of the eighteenth-century city. Ralph Allen was a man of humble birth who became a great entrepreneur. He started by revolutionising the Post Office and then saw the potential for quarrying Bath stone. He was the patron of the visionary architect, John Wood, who was to display the stone's qualities in one fine building and crescent after another. At the same time Bath society was being transformed by a successful gambler and 'bon viveur' extraordinaire, Richard 'Beau' Nash. He became the city's Master of Ceremonies in 1705 and established the Assembly Rooms as the centre of fashionable life in Bath. He was the undisputed 'King of Bath' for 40 years. The plan by John Wood the elder (1705 - 1754) inspired the most enduring and harmonious of Britain's great historic cities. After his death he was well served by his son John Wood the younger (1728 - 1801), who completed his father's plans, most notably the Circus, and then embarked on his own brilliant designs. His masterpiece was the Royal Crescent, which is one of the great set pieces of European architecture and the world's finest crescent.
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