The "Great Bath" at the site of Mohenjo-Daro in modern-day Pakistan was most likely the first swimming pool, used during the 3rd millennium BC. This pool is 12 by 7 meters, lined with bricks, and covered with a tar-based sealant.
The ancient Greeks and Romans made their pools for athletic training and were used by their militaries for training. It was noted that Roman emperors had pools in which fish was kept.
The first heated pool was made by Gaius Maecenas of Rome in the 1st century BC. He was a rich Roman lord and considered one of the first patrons of arts.
The modern Olympic Games started in 1896 which included swimming races, after that the popularity of pools did increase.
Swimming pools became widespread in Britain in the mid-19th century. As early as 1837, six indoor pools with diving boards existed in London, England. The Maidstone Swimming Club in Maidstone Kent, is believed to be the oldest surviving swimming club in Britain, which is still around today.
In the USA there are over 10.4 million residential and 309,000 public swimming pools but surprisingly New Zealand holds the record for most pools per capita (pop.4,116,900), with 65,000 home swimming pools and 125,000 spa pools.
So why don't you take a dip in one.
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