Abandoned thermal bath, a photo from Lesvos, North Aegean

Photographer's Note

The thermal baths of Thermi in Mytilene (Lesvos) island were famous since the ancient years, and reached their peak during the years of the Roman Empire. In Thermi there are 2 large baths like the one you see in the photo, one for men and the other for women.

Rumors say, that they were often visited by Emperor Constantine and his mother Helen, founders of the byzantine empire, that's why the locals called "Constantine" the men's bath and "Helen" the lady's bath. What's funny is that the founders declared as official religion of the new empire Christianism, a religion that considered these public baths, sinful and immoral places. As a result to that, these baths were abandoned for many centuries.

They were reconstructed during the years of the Ottoman Empire (1785) by Hasan Pasha Tzezaerli and were functioning until the first half of the 20th century. Since then they are completely abandoned, are filled with muddy water, a sad thing to see, for reasons that can be explained only by the "surreal" reality of the Greek State.

Up to the level of the column, you can see the remains of the Roman bath, the dome was added much later during the Ottoman years.

***HERE*** a diferent thermal bath from a diferent region of Lesvos

IN WORKSHOP A BLURRED VERSION TO ADD SOME "MYSTERY"

frieda, Buin, amaryllis, dareco, Colombiana, albertz, Dyerco, ellelloo, dip, stelli, cunejo200, burGu, chrkont, CatherineD has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Graal (103040) 2008-08-18 8:19

Hi Hercules,
unusual place, good shot. I like the warm light and colours. Good note and WS also. Well done photos.
Gr., Aleksander

frieda (153) 2008-08-18 9:48

Hello Hercules,
Your photo is nice and colourful and bisides a very interesting story.In former days it must by a beautiful place there.
Thank you and kind greetings,
Frieda.

nikolos82 (229) 2008-08-18 9:48

πολύ ωραία φωτογραφία.

flatwin (2181) 2008-08-18 10:43

bonsoir

super scиne intйrieur de ces anciennes thermes- Les couleurs sont top sur la pierre

Arnaud

Buin (42580) 2008-08-18 11:02

Hallo Hercules!
A wonderful picture with a very special atmosphere. This must be an impressive place indeed. If these walls could speak ..
I think it's the same emperor who built the famous palace and others building in Trier here in Germany. Very interesting!
Greetings from Germany!
Frank

amaryllis (37047) 2008-08-18 12:31

bonjour
une photo incroyable qu'il reste de ces thermes avec toute une histoire, maintenant abandonnйs,bonne luminosite; merci du ws et de la photo d'un therme
un tres beau cadrage
juliette

bema (26591) 2008-08-18 12:50

Kalispera Hercules,

poli kala fotografia, itґs real a sad moment to catch such a beautiful picture, incase of knowing that there is no aim to bring back the beautiful outlook of this place in former times.....
great colors and a good note indeed..

Jassu and kalinichta Bernd

dareco (17136) 2008-08-18 13:20

All are very interesting pictures. I love the lighting in this and the colors. A very informative note as well. TFS and have a happy day!

molla (7129) 2008-08-18 13:59

hej Hercules,
It's something with this lava like floor that makes the image strange place a bit like a gap to the underworld in religious terms an evil one "hell" good exposure anyway.
Anders

Colombiana (2957) 2008-08-18 17:43

Mi querido Hйrcules,

Esta foto estб genial.
Me fascina sobre todo esos tonos dorados y anaranjados.
Interesante e informativa nota tambien!

Un abrazo... y a ver cuando te animas a tomar foticos Art Deco en Miami?

Saludos,

Maryori :)

gneufeld (15890) 2008-08-18 18:26

Hi Hercules,
A very impressive blend of character, shapes, colors, and light - very well seen and presented. TFS. Gerald

albertz (2468) 2008-08-18 21:07

Interesting place to explore, the fragments of bricks on the water emphasize that the place has been abandoned. Good to know the beauty secrets of the early empire. Great shot and very good note.

Dyerco (10185) 2008-08-18 21:52

A very unique composition with warm colours and a variety of textures. Excellent write up as well.
TFS
Phil

Dragut (14) 2008-08-18 22:25

Hi Hercules

Warm,quiet, coloured....very good shoot. Is it water that we can see ?

ellelloo (6572) 2008-08-18 22:49

Hello Hercules,
An interesting historical place and a very good photo of it with a mystical atmosphere. I like the light and colours. Thanks for the good note.
Greetings,
Lasse

dip (21408) 2008-08-19 0:32

Geia sou Irakli,
oraia fotografia me exairetiko fotismo kai omorfa fusika xromata,poli kali oksutita kai kadro,
Xaireto,
Dimitris.

ifanik (21679) 2008-08-19 1:39

Apisteyths poiothtas fotografia eswterikoy xwroy
Xrwmata kadro fws .......ola telia
Xairetw
Nikos

lc4giala (2190) 2008-08-19 6:30

Kalispera Irakli
gnorizontas ton xwro kai thn dyskolia aytou tha symfoniso apolyta me to prolalisanta ifanik legontas kai ego oti einai teleia
sygharhthria!
George.

sacavem (18620) 2008-08-19 7:01

Olб Hercules,

Wonderful compo! Amazing colors, good contrast...
well done,
Gr, Filipe

Greg1949 (9011) 2008-08-19 7:27

Hercules, nice capture, imagine us building something that would last so long... Perhaps someone will see the shame in not repairing and preserving it from your picture and do something about it. The color is rich and warm and the note explains well what we see. Fine capture.

Greg

stelli (3009) 2008-08-19 8:18

Great photograph to open our appetite for some special treatment!!! Wonderful, soft and warm colors! Thank you for sharing! ΦΙΛΙΚΑ Στέλλα

cunejo200 (7281) 2008-08-19 9:53

Hello Hercules,
The glow from the mineral water is very striking, looks like a molten lava. The wide angle lens is effective in capturing the beautiful arch. Best regards, Danilo

burGu (4840) 2008-08-19 10:51

Hi Irakli,
I am back in TE after a one week break, and first photo I see in your gallery reminds me directly your previos thermal bath photo. Both of them are amazing, reminding each other...
Floor looks like built of fire, as if feet will burn when stepped on it.
Any other thermal bath photos in following days? Even though it is burning here with 30 C degrees and more, I really appreciate your thermal photos with warm atmosphere :)
Best,
Burcu

afroditi (731) 2008-08-19 11:39

Hi Hercules!
poli kathari foto eswterikou xwro kai teleios fwtismos!
afroditi

chrkont (4005) 2008-08-19 11:44

Γεια σου Ηρακλή
Μια ακόμη εντυπωσιακή φωτογραφία αυτού του ιδιαίτερου εσωτερικού χώρου με την έμπειρη ευρυγώνια λήψη σου.
Να 'σαι καλά
Χρήστος

Angelillo (9374) 2008-08-19 13:10

Hola Hercules,

Un bello rincуn, con la luz adecuada para captar los detalles (lбstima los focos, pero quй se le va a hacer. El punto de vista crea un curioso punto de fuga que se ve enseguida cortado... el arco diagonal es, en ese sentido, muy dinбmico. Buena composiciуn!

Un saludo,
Angel.

zeynepe (0) 2008-08-20 3:40

Kalispera Hercules,
The texture of the wall, the color of the water, the lights coming from the windows and the small reflection on the water all are great !
Congrats and have a nice week,
Zeynep

nasokoun (0) 2008-08-21 3:33

дэукплп фп иЭмб упх ьмщт Энб рплэ кбль брпфЭлеумб
чбйсефю НЬупт

danyy (0) 2008-08-22 14:01

Bonjour Hercules,
voici un endroit pas facile а photographier avec ses lumiиres intйrieures. Un bon choix de temps de pose йlevй par rapport au flash.
Beaux jeux de lumiиres et de couleurs, une notte interessante.
Regards.
Daniel.

doubay (674) 2008-08-27 5:59

Apla mia exeretiki architektoniki fotografia, pu anadiknii poli apotelesmatika tin omorfia aftu tu kapus kufu merus.
Chereto
Andreas

tehanu_f (6896) 2008-08-27 13:34

this is a place where I'd love to spend hours (preferably with a model) and to take photos. the light is great and so is the texture of the walls.
best wishes,
fusun

simonagiasos (33) 2008-09-17 8:18

Hercules Milas рплэ щсбЯб бхфЮ з цщфпгсбцЯб упх. Рбсьлп рпх кбфЬгпме брь фзн ЛЭувп кбй реснЬщ ухчнЬ Эощ брь фзн ИесмЮ, ден Эчщ мрей рпфЭ мЭуб уфб лпхфсЬ. Уе ехчбсйуфю гйб бхфЮ фзн цщфпгсбцЯб.

CatherineD (4864) 2009-04-17 12:59

Geia sou Irakli,
Amazing light and interesting note about this abandonned baths. I discover just know that you went to Lesvos... I must see your others photos... Xairetw,
Katerina