The Circus, Bath

The Circus, Bath

Many of Bath’s grand and ancient buildings were designed by the father-and-son architects John Wood the Elder and John Wood the Younger. In the 18th century, when planning the city layout of Bath, the elder John Wood constructed a circular plaza symbolizing the sun — The Circus — and a crescent-shaped building symbolizing the moon — the Royal Crescent. These two structures are connected by Brock Street. Since then, this style of arranging townhouses in circular or crescent formations has become highly influential, greatly impacting the urban planning of cities such as London and Edinburgh in Scotland.

The Circus

The Circus features a total of 528 unique emblems and sculptures related to art and science, distributed across the townhouses and stone columns that line the plaza. These were personally designed by John Wood the Elder and completed by his son in 1754. These designs and shapes are reminiscent of the prehistoric Stonehenge in Salisbury, near Bath. Perhaps Wood drew inspiration from there. As a result, he is regarded as a master of symbolic art in the 18th century, and his works have become classics in architectural history.

This is a magnificent ring composed of 30 houses. To the south lies an 18th-century Georgian garden that has been reconstructed. The area that was originally lawn has been covered with gravel to prevent dirt from staining ladies’ long dresses. The Circus can be reached by walking along Brock Street from the Royal Crescent.

Address: Northwest corner of the ancient city of Bath, UK