In the city itself, a large Arabic bath has been known about since the 12th century, or around 1100 a.d. When a visitor entered, he changed in a room called the apodyterium. He proceeded to the frigidarium, or cold baths. After a cold bath, he would take a hot bath in the tepidarium. Following the hot bath, he would proceed to a steam room called the caldarium. These baths comprised an ancient health spa. The baths are the modern equivalent of a visit to a day spa. From the Latin expressions the modern English words of podium, frigid, tepid and cauldron are derived.
About 30 miles northeast of Girona travelers find ancient Greek ruins called Empuries (also spelled Ampurias) near the village of La Escala. The Greco-Roman influence is evident in the architecture of the columns used in the buildings' construction. The ruins were built around the fifth century, or about 600 a.d. The history of the area actually originates much earlier. In the first century, Julius Caesar established a sort of "retirement community" for Roman soldiers around the village. Excavators also found Greek and Roman mosaics, sculptures and bronze work here.
About 30 miles to the southeast of Girona lies a seaside castle, called the Tossa de Mar Walled Enclosure. It is a walled stone structure, built around the 12th century, or approximately 1300 a.d. The castle is made out of cut and fitted stone, and features high lookout towers, high walls and living quarters. The architecture is Romanesque, with round towers instead of square. It is believed the castle was built to keep out invaders from the sea.
About 20 miles directly east of Girona is an archaeological site called the El Puig de Sant Andreu Iberian Settlement. An ancient tribe, called the Indiketes, built the settlement sometime around 500 b.c., or about 2,500 years in the past from 2011. Since most of the structures were built of wood, very little remains intact. However, stone walls and a temple to pagan gods are still standing.
