Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
10 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
13 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
17 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
24 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Spain Bande Aquis Querquennis

Aquis Querquennis

In Spain, the ruins of a Roman military camp sit along a flooded section of a river.

Bande, Spain

Added By
Kian Seara
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The ruins.   IES MANUEL GARCÍA BARROS A ESTRADA - PONTEVEDRA/cc by-sa 2.0
The ruins.   IES MANUEL GARCÍA BARROS A ESTRADA - PONTEVEDRA/cc by-sa 2.0
The submerged ruins. Below the water lie the ruins of the town of Os Baños de San Xoán.   kianseara / Atlas Obscura User
One of the hot spring pools.   IES-MGB/cc by 2.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The short pillars, ruined walls, arches, and moat that form the foundations of this former Roman military camp can sometimes be found half submerged in the reservoir, depending on the amount of rain upriver and the status of the dam. The sprawling and venerable fortification near the Lima River, known locally as “the city,” featured two granaries, a basilica and temple, an infirmary, and barracks large enough to house two centuria battalions and their commanders. It’s thought that a total of up to 600 soldiers could have been stationed here at any given time.

The construction of the barracks dates back to the reign of Vespasian, around the year 75, when it was likely used as a base from which to defend newly built roads connecting other, larger roads in this remote province. The modern road through this area is small even today—following it south brings you through a mountain pass and over the border with Portugal.

Nearby, families in campers picnic and lounge in the steamy waters of the hot springs, with several basins constructed from stone at the fountainhead. The thermal waters, which occur naturally in this part of inland Galicia alongside a number of different rivers, were revered by the Romans. The nearby colonial settlement of Ourense (now the provincial capital) was founded on the site of a thermal fountainhead to take advantage of the warm waters.

The benefit of having hot springs nearby is evident in the Roman preoccupation with hygiene and bathing. In addition, just as many do today, these early inhabitants believed that these mineral-rich waters had curative properties. But hot springs were not merely attractive for practical reasons, if not also for spiritual ones. A certain religious fervor surrounding the medicinal potential of hot springs was widespread among the Romans, who venerated the various gods and nymphs said to inhabit these sacred places, to whom they attributed that otherworldly warmth. Offerings were made directly into the waters—excavations in and around various Galician hot springs have revealed caches of gold coins, known to have been thrown into the sources of the springs as offerings to the gods.

Excavations at the old fort began in the 1920s but were halted at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, only to continue again in the 1970s. The reservoir pooling around the edges of this site exists as the result of controlled flooding caused by the construction of a hydroelectric dam built just downriver in the 1940s.

Related Tags

Roman Ruins Forts

Know Before You Go

Make sure the area isn't inundated by flood waters if you are hoping to bathe in the hot springs. You might be able to call and ask the local municipality.

Community Contributors

Added By

kianseara

Edited By

Kerry Wolfe

  • Kerry Wolfe

Published

November 11, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://books.google.nl/books?id=3RE4DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT248&dq=Aquis+Querquennis&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiFgNSXpMnlAhXLY1AKHfiJCVYQ6AEILzAB#v=onepage&q=Aquis%20Querquennis&f=false
  • https://www.academia.edu/3555823/Balnearios_y_dioses_de_las_aguas_termales_en_Galicia_romana
  • https://galiciaencantada.com/lenda.asp?cat=14&id=2623
  • http://novas.gal/devolver-os-povoados-ao-povo/
  • https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquis_Querquennis
Aquis Querquennis
Unnamed Road
Bande, 32846
Spain
41.973899, -7.980896
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Minas dos Carris

Portugal

miles away

Santuario de Nossa Senhora da Peneda

São Bento do Canto, Portugal

miles away

Espigueros of Lindoso

Lindoso, Portugal

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Spain

Spain

Europe

Places 748
Stories 37

Nearby Places

Minas dos Carris

Portugal

miles away

Santuario de Nossa Senhora da Peneda

São Bento do Canto, Portugal

miles away

Espigueros of Lindoso

Lindoso, Portugal

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Spain

Spain

Europe

Places 748
Stories 37

Related Places

  • The Headquarters building

    Ambleside, England

    Ambleside Roman Fort

    This beautifully situated lakeside Roman settlement was likely built during the reign of the Emperor Hadrian.

  • The Roman ruins in the foreground with the backdrop of Lympne Castle.

    Lympne, England

    Portus Lemanis

    The ruins of a Roman fort lie in the shadows of an imposing medieval castle.

  • The gyrus in front and a granary to the rear.

    Baginton, England

    Lunt Roman Fort

    This reconstructed ancient fort was home to one of the few horse training rings in the Roman Empire.

  • Aerial view of the Sandby borg ringfort.

    Mörbylånga, Sweden

    Sandby Borg Ringfort

    Archaeologists are still unraveling the secrets of the brutal massacre that wiped out this ancient fort.

  • Olbia, Italy

    Roman Aqueduct of Olbia

    An ancient aqueduct tells the story of Sardinia's ancient Roman past.

  • A soloist performing at the amphitheater of Bosra

    Busra, Syria

    Black Amphitheater of Bosra

    One of the world's best-preserved Roman amphitheaters is also one of the most unusual; it's made of black volcanic rock.

  • The archaeological site in Sisak, Croatia.

    Sisak, Croatia

    Siscia in Situ

    One of the major cities of Late Roman provinces, now in ruins of small scale.

  • A closer look at the excavation, from the left side of Kandlerova ul

    Pula, Croatia

    Quarter of Saint Theodore

    An excavation site that signified Hercules in Pula, and a glimpse into the city's Roman history.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.