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Historical Baths of Istanbul from the Ottoman Empire to the Present

Historical Baths of Istanbul from the Ottoman Empire to the Present
16 February 2022
Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Turkish bath culture is one of the most important and world-famous values of our civilization, dating back to the Roman period and experiencing its golden age during the Ottoman period, used not only for cleaning but also for spiritual and physical purification and healing. The Turkish baths, which you can choose to freshen up, relax and continue your day in a clean and clean way, are also a pleasant activity and experience.

In this article for you, we have examined the living historical baths that date back generations and are still in operation today. If you want to draw a route full of culture, history and health in Istanbul and travel to the rich world of baths, you can benefit from this article.

Galatasaray Hamam

Perhaps the oldest and longest operating bathhouse in Istanbul, Galatasaray Hamam was built by Bayezid II in 1481 and has continued to operate as a bathhouse ever since. Galatasaray Hamam, which has separate sections for both men and women and is the most popular bathhouse in the Beyoğlu region with Ağa Hamam, is a living history that must be seen.

Cagaloglu Hamam

Perhaps the most famous of all our baths, Cağaloğlu Hamam is considered to be the most "new" among the magnificent baths of the city. Built during the 1st Mahmud period, it has a much more modern architecture compared to its peers. Cağaloğlu Hammam, one of the most important representatives of the Baroque style in Istanbul, is also an Istanbul icon worth seeing in itself with its large dome, marble pool, and eye-catching three-story fountain. So much so that Cağaloğlu Hamam is also on the New York Times list of "1000 Places to See Before You Die".

Hagia Sophia Hürrem Sultan Bath

Hagia Sophia Hürrem Sultan Bath is one of the oldest and in a way, one of the most unfortunate baths in Istanbul. Built by Hürrem Sultan, one of the iconic characters of Ottoman history, to Mimar Sinan, the great architect of the time, and completed in 1557, the bath was used as a warehouse and dungeon for hundreds of years, far from its function. Finally, about 70 years ago, it was restored and continued to be used as a bathhouse. Today, Hürrem Sultan Hamam, which combines both traditional and modern elements, is the most preferred hamam especially by tourists, and is one of the first places on "to-do lists" as an important stop on a trip to Istanbul.

Çemberlitaş Hamam

One of the first works that comes to mind when it comes to the historical baths of Istanbul is the Çemberlitaş Bath. Bearing the signature of the world-famous architectural genius Mimar Sinan, Çemberlitaş Hammam is not just a bathhouse, but a cultural heritage that has been living for centuries. Simple, elegant and strikingly beautiful, it is also worth seeing for its role in many Hollywood movies.

Kilic Ali Pasha Hamam

Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı, another bathhouse by Mimar Sinan, is one of the few important baths located across the historical peninsula. This bath, which is memorable with its unique dome, was built by Kılıç Ali Pasha to serve the levies of the period. During your visit, you can drink traditional Ottoman sherbet in the hammam and buy many traditional hammam products from the souvenir shop in the hammam.

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