History of the Turkish Bath

One of the legacies of the Ottoman Empire is the Turkish Bath. Back in the day, these bath houses were an integral part of the culture.  They weren’t simply places to wash.  Hamams functioned as social gathering places, in a time when Islamic rules governed every element of daily life.  They were the equivalent of the ’80’s cocktail bars, or the Millennium Coffee culture.

Religion was the driving force behind the Hamam’s popularity. Washing was, and still is, an essential part of the religious routine. Another impact of religion was the restrictions placed on women’s freedom.

The Turkish Baths became the only place, outside the comfort of their own homes, that Ottoman women could cast off these restrictions.  Their activity was steeped in ritual, and a trip to a hamam could become a long drawn out process, definitely not something to be rushed.

 

To learn a little bit more about the history and tradition of a Turkish Bath, check out these reference websites:

1. Visit Wikipedia to read their entry about Turkish Baths

Parts to the Turkish hamam

Changing rooms

Consists of a large hall and the stone benches in the vicinity of the hall. People lie down on the benches to have a rest after bathing in the hamam.

Hot room (sicaklik)

This section of the hamam consists of two parts including the cool room and the bath.

There are three separate sections in the hot room:

1. The marble basin (common bathing place)
2. Halvet (partially enclosed bathing cubicle)
3. Middle stone (heated marble platform to lie on for sweating)

 

 

 

 

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© Oil Painting by Jean-Jacques-Francois Lebarbier (1738-1826)