AĞA HAMAMI since 1454

Çukurcuma, Beyoğlu - İstanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°01'59.1"N 28°58'54.9"E / 41.033083, 28.981917



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

The Historical Ağa hamamı (turkish bath) was constructed by Fatih Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. Ağa Turkish bath was used as a private hamam by Mehmed the Conqueror and his sons. At that time, Beyoglu District was not a settlement area and the Padishahs would come to Beyoglu District for hunting. Mehmed the Conqueror constructed this building as a hunting house in 1454.

Ağa hamamı was designed as a hamam below the two flats above. It underwent a large-scale renovation in 1844 by Sultan Abdülmecid. It was used by the Sultans and their sons until the final years of the Ottoman Empire.

With the foundation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, the Ottoman Empire ended. In those days a Armenian woman bought the Ağa hamamı (turkish bath) and it first opened to public. She decided sold the Ağa hamamı to Huseyin Yilmaz. Due to his old age, Huseyin Yilmaz sold it to his nephew Ali Yilmaz in May 1974 after thirty four years of operation. The last renovation was in 1986 by Ali Yilmaz. It serves only tourists mixed hamam in istanbul for over ten years.

It is a three-floor building sitting on a 650 sqm of land. The first two floors were built as the house and the entrance floor as the Ağa Hamamı. The exterior and the top of hammam (a skylight dome with round frames) were designed to receive the daylight from sunrise to sunset.

The hammam has a 250 sqm section at the back to heat it. In those years this section was named "kulhan". This building was influenced by the classic era that began at the end of the 15th century. Many buildings that were constructed by Fatih Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror right after the Conquest of Constantinople followed this trend.

The internal structure consists of sections called "soyunmalık, ılıklık and sıcaklık" (changing rooms and the sections for warming up and heating up respectively). Apart from these sections, the installations section takes up a huge room. This section consists of the water reservoir, kulhan and cehennemlik (literally "hell room"). The most voluminous spaces in Ağa Hamamı are usually the changing rooms. The house and the hammam have very high ceilings which extend up to 3.5 meters. High ceilings are the most prominent features of historical buildings.

Cold Halvet (Private Small Room)
It is the first entrance section of the hamam, it is not a very hot section. It is the section used to cool off when it becomes uncomfortably hot for you.

Hot Section (Inside Of Hamam) And Center Stone
This is the section mainly used by tourists. It is the bathing and sweating section. It contains the center stone which is heated from below. You can lie on it and relax.

Hot Halvet
Consists of two small rooms. Only used for bathing. Each room has three kurnas (marble tubs in which hot and cold water from two taps are mixed). It is one of the hottest sections.

Külhan (Furnace)
This is the section from which the hamam is heated. The Ağa hamam has been heated with traditional methods for years. It is heated by wood fire. Woods are lit in the kulhan section and the heat circulates under the hamam. While many hamams in Istanbul are heated with natural gas, the Ağa hamam is heated by wood fire, which allows experiencing a privilege in heat. Heat provided by natural gas can never be the same as that of wood fire.

Entrance
Welcome to Ağa hamamı. Choose the pack you desire at the entrance, go into the room exclusively for you, wrap around your pestemal, lock up your room and go let yourself enjoy the comfort on marble.

Kese (special bath glove)
It is a cleaning method which has been used since the initial years of Ottoman Empire. Your skin gets softer as the result of perspiration in the hamam, with the help of a kese dead skin is removed and skin pores are opened.

Foam Bath
It is a method used to clean the body following the kese process. Leave yourself into the hands of the masseur/masseuse and feel the comfort. Experiencing this feeling at the Aga hamam is a privilege.

Oil Massage
Oil massage is a type of massage known worldwide. It was first applied by the Chinese three thousand years ago. Massage is applied to ease pains, reduce swellings, relax muscles and to accelerate recovery from contraction and sprain resulting from injury. Contrary to popular belief, massage does not prevent weakening of muscle strength. It is a very old method for relaxing and recreation. We offer to you the oil massage with the Turkish bath (hamam) culture.

Face Mask
Ağa Hamamı apply face mask to clean face after Hamam. Skin pores will be clean and open in the hamam. if you get face mask, your face will be soft and cleaner.

Exit
While you exit the hamam, we change your pestemal and towel, then you go into your room and put on your clothes. We also recommend you to let your soul have a rest at our oriental corner with a Turkish tea.

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WEB SITE : Ağa Hamamı

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : huseyin@agahamami.com
Phone : +90 212 249 5027

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CAĞALOĞLU HAMAM since 1741

Cağaloğlu, Fatih - İstanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°00'38.6"N 28°58'32.1"E / 41.010722, 28.975583



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

The Cağaloğlu Hamam, constructed in 1740-1741, is the last one of the biggest hamam to be built during the Ottoman Empire. It was constructed in Istanbul Fatih, in Alemdar, on Hilal-i Ahmer street as a çifte (double) public hamam to bring revenue for the library of Sultan Mahmud I the first situated inside the mosque of Ayasofya.

When we take a look at the names of the head architects of that time we can say that it was begun by Süleyman Ağa finished by Abdullah Ağa. It is the last example of its kind to be built in Istanbul and is a successful hamam that is still operational in our time. All the architectural beauty of the structure has been kept until today. The hammam still serves as a double bath.

The palace of Nevşehirli Groom Ibrahim Pasha was burnt in 1740 so Cağaloğlu Bath was begun to be constructed in the place of the palace. The entrance of women is placed on the bath street and men’s entrance is on the main street. Also the bath has a feature of being one of the last and biggest baths, because Sultan Mustafa III banned to construct baths due to increase in the need of water.

It is entered through the marble door to the building. The door of the women’s section is on a side street called Hamam while the men's entrance is from the main road with two marble columns with classic stalactite capitals on both sides.

In time when the street was elevated, the men's section is reached by a staircase of 10 steps. The architecture of the door is contrary to eclectic Turkish style. There is an original inscription with a verse of Koran, above the entrance door. On the tablet above the door is a long inscription of 7 lines and 28 verves.

The changing rooms of the men's section are quite spacious and bright. Baroque styled fountain pool in the same section is very striking. There are eight marble columns with graven tops, four cubicle spaces and octagonal middle stone in the square planned hot room (sıcaklık). The hot cubical space is used as sauna at the present. Cold and hot sections were made different way, away from the classical Ottoman architecture, the baroque- style was used in these sections.

In men’s part, dressing section is covered with a large dome but cold section is covered with a small dome. Hot section is covered again a large dome, in the middle of the hot section there is a central stone (göbektaşı) and around it there are many basins (kurna) and halvet. In the middle of the building of bath, a spacious pool which was made of one piece of marble and fountain in the pool which has three floors are placed, these are so beautiful.

The domes are supported by arches and columns. There are eight arches on eight marble columns supporting the dome in the sıcaklık. In the center is the marble göbektaşı, surrounded by halvets in the four corners and three sofas in between. The sofas are covered with semi domes. There is a square garden between the undressing room of the womens' section and the camegah of the mens' section.

The beginning of the camegah and the soğukluk is different from classis plans. The sogukluk is also separated by two columns into three sections. In the middle is a dome. The sıcaklık is the same as in the mens' section. The high and wide camegah is joined to the large dome by segmented corner trumpet-like vault panels. In the middle is a pool with a waterjet of great artistic value.

The windows are placed between the vault panels in threes. On the top of the dome is a lantern for illumination. There is a şirvan in the camegah with rooms for undressing. The soğukluk is entered through a double door from the camegah and is covered with seven barrel vaults and a half sphere small dome.

Cağaloğlu Bath was built three hundred years ago and it has been still standing today also serving to a large number of local and foreign tourists as a double bath. Men’s part is open from 8 to 10, while women’s part is open from 8 to 8. There is a restaurant-bar at the entrance of the men's section. Reservation required for dinner.

According to your wishes, you can use your own materials or materials found here. In addition, you can both see a historical structure and spend time in the beautiful bath.

These double baths in which only the changing-rooms have been changed since 1969-1971 now consist of two parts, one of women and the other for men in a 2834 sq.m area.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Cağaloğlu Hamamı

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : info@cagalogluhamami.com.tr
Phone : +90 212 522 2423 / +90 212 522 2424
Fax: +90 212 512 8553

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MAHMUTPAŞA HAMAM since 1466

Mahmutpaşa, Fatih - İstanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°00'43.5"N 28°58'12.0"E / 41.012083, 28.970000

About 250 metres down Mahmut Paşa Yokuşu, we come to a turning on the left where we see an imposing domed building. The hamam, built in 1466 (871 A.H.), is located on the Mahmud Paşa highway leading up to the mosque. This was originally part of the Mahmut Paşa Complex, and, as always in these interdependent pious foundations, its revenues went to the support of the other institutions in the complex.

It consists of an entrance hall with latrines, a cold-room (soğukluk) and a hot-room (sıcaklık). The soğukluk is a truly monumental room covered by a dome with spiral ribs and a huge semidome in the form of a scallop shell; on each side are two square cubicles with elaborate vaulting.

The hararet is octagonal with five shallow oblong niches, and in the crossaxis there are two domed eyvans, each of which leads to two more private bathing cubicles in the corners.

The entry to the baths is adorned with a grand muqarnas portal beyond which the entrance hall looms large with its tall dome measuring 27 meters in diameter. Entering the smaller cold-room under a demi-dome, the square space with two eyvans and private bathing cells (halvet) is covered with a whorl dome.

Like most of the great hamams, it was originally double, but the women’s section was torn down to make room for the neighbouring han. We enter through a large central hall (17 metres square) with a high dome on stalactited pendentives; the impressive size of the camekân is hardly spoiled by the addition of a modern wooden balcony.

The following hot room has an octagonal navel stone (göbektaşı) at its center under a dome pierced with lights that sits on eight piers. It has five eyvans with taps and basins between the piers and two other eyvans give access to private cells at the four corners of the chamber.

Like all of Mahmut Paşa’s buildings, his hamam is a very handsome and well-built structure. For a time it fell into disuse and then served as a storage depot, but it has been restored and now serves as a market hall.

A han stands today on the site of the women's section that was demolished. The remaining men's section survived damage by fire in 1755 and was restored in 1955.

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ŞİFA HAMAMI

Doğancılar, Üsküdar - İstanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°01'28.1"N 29°00'43.8"E / 41.024472, 29.012167



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

The Old Hamam was built towards the end of the 15th century for the purpose of generating revenue in order to support the Rum Mehmet Paşa Mosque in Üsküdar. The men’s section is located on Doğancılar Street and the women’s section is located next to the Hüsrev Ağa Mosque.

It has also been known as the Historical Şifa Hamamı (Historical Cure Bath) and is a remarkable structure whose original shape has been protected through the ages.

One enters into the men’s section of the historical bath through a hall covered with marble pavement. The hall leads to the Camekan, a court made of wood surrounded by small individual changing rooms.

In addition to the changing rooms located on the left side, there are changing rooms upstairs. In the entry of the Halvet, a very hot bathing cubicle within the bathing complex, there are two water vessels made of marbel.

On the oppside side of the halvet are seven shower baths, three of which are open and are internally covered by a half-domed vault, and four of which are covered with a full-domed vault. Furthermore, the bath is covered by a large dome as well as a modest navel stone (göbek taşı) which draws the attention of visitors under the dome of the Old Hamam.

We have learned from an advertisement published in a newspaper in September 12, 1860 that the Historical bath was transfered to a single owner, and from another source, it we learn that it was also renovated.

This bath is not in contradiction with Ottoman Architectural style. In particular, it has been serving for visitors, the great majority of whom are Turkish citizens.

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BEYAZIT HAMAM

Beyazit, Fatih - İstanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°00'35.2"N 28°57'41.5"E / 41.009778, 28.961528



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

The Bayezid II Hammam dates back to the 16th century, when Sultan Bayezid II commissioned it as part of the complex around the nearby Beyazit Mosque. In recent decades the hammam had fallen into disrepair, but it was restored as part of Istanbul University in 2015.

This hammam is also known as the place where rebel leader Patrona Halil worked as a bath attendant. His bloody uprising became the subject of several works by Orientalist painter Jean Baptiste Vanmour, and it is seen as marking the end of Sultan Ahmet III's Tulip Era.

The Beyazit Hamam is located in Istanbul's Beyazit district on Ordu Street. The structure has separate sections for both men and women. The entrance door of the women’s section is on Kimyager Derviş Paşa Street and the door of men’s section is on Ordu Street.

One enters the men’s section from the camekan, a court surrounded by small individual changing rooms roofed by a dome. From there, one passes into the ılıklık (lukewarm section), where four bathrooms covered by small domes and a cleaning room draw the attention of visitors.

There are sofas which are covered by a dome and presumably each one has three kurnas (marble basin) on both the left and right sides of the ılıklık. The harare (hot section) contains halvets roofed by domes. In addition to these, there was originally a marble plinth (göbek taşı) found in each of the four corners of the harare; however, these have not made it into our times.

The women’s section of the hamam is similar to men’s section that the water well that meeted of need of water. The water well responsible for meeting the water needs of the hamam is located near the women’s section behind the Central Library of Istanbul University.

MUSEUM OF TURKISH HAMAM CULTURE

As the Bayezid II Turkish Hammam Culture Museum it displays many items relevant to the Turkish bath, such as copper jugs, water bowls, towels, and bath shoes. Helpful texts in Turkish and English explain the origins and history of Turkish baths in Istanbul, as well as the spread of Turkish baths to Western European cities in the 19th century.

Some archaeological finds discovered during construction at Istanbul University are also displayed in the museum, including pieces from several Byzantine churches and a relief from the Forum of Theodosius.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Turkish Hammam Culture Museum

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : hamammuzesi@istanbul.edu.tr
Phone : +90 212 444 0000

These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2017, respected writers and photographers from the internet. All Rights Reserved.

ZEYREK ÇİNİLİ HAMAM since 1545

Zeyrek, Fatih - İstanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°01'05.2"N 28°57'22.8"E / 41.018111, 28.956333

The Çinili Hamam is the most eminent hamam located on Itfaiye Street in Istanbul's Fatih district. It was built by Mimar Sinan during the second quarter of the 16th century to generate revenue for the Hayrettin Paşa Madrasah and its tomb. The Hamam is also called “The Zeyrek Çinili Hamam” and “The Hayrettin Paşa Hamam.” It took its present name from the İznik tiles covering its walls which have not made it to the present day. After two large fires in 1782 and 1833, it was repaired and transfered to an individual owner.

The camekan of the double-bath styled Çinili Bath is not in contradiction with Classical Ottoman architecture; it is covered by a large dome. There is a pool with a fountain in the middle of the camekan, which is thought to have been a gift by the Shah of Iran. A court surrounded by small individual changing rooms and covered by a dome has been established in the middle of the hamam.

The changing rooms of the hamam are located upstairs and they passfrom the camekan into the ılıklık (lukewarm section) which is covered by an arched roof. Later, four keseliks, a type of bathing cabin used for exfoliating the skin, have been added to the ılıklık. From the ılıklık, one continues to the harare (hot section) through a passageway.

While walking through the passageway, a bathroom covered by five domes draws the attention of visitors.There are four halvets (a very hot bathing cubicle within the bath), three sofas (halls), and a marble plinth (göbek taşı). There are also two verses, each written in Persian, on the doors of halvet.

For Charles White, writing in the early 1840s, the “Tchinelly Hammam” was “one of the neatest and most picturesque in the city”. Zeyrek, close to the imperial Fatih Mosque and the Valencian Aqueduct, was a fashionable quarter with handsome wooden houses and views to the Golden Horn.

Today it is a rough-and-tumble area, whose houses are home to poor immigrants from the east, and the baths are shabby, if picturesque. Gone is the portico that shaded the entrances to the men’s and women’s baths. In its place butchers hang goats’ carcases. But, inside, Sinan’s domes and geometry still work their magic.

Sinan built the baths in the 1540s for Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha, known to the West as Barbarossa, a former corsair who became the first naval commander to be honoured by the Sultan with the title of Grand Admiral and Governor-General of the Islands. The navy was close to Sinan’s heart: in winter, while the Janissaries rested, it was the skilled galley slaves who did his building work - many earned their freedom when projects were completed.

In the “hot room”, a few of the tiles that gave the hammam its name can still be seen: panels of hexagonal Iznik tiles, their glaze encrusted with lime from dripping whitewash, and a row of tiles inscribed with lines of sensual Persian verse comparing the “beauties” therein to those of paradise.

The Çinili is a classic double hammam, for men and women. Leading back from the street is a sequence of domed halls, side by side: first the disrobing halls, then a wide, warm anteroom, and finally a hot room, marvellously austere but for the delicate pie-crust arches that support the dome and vaults.

Nearby there was a deep well, filled in long ago, from which the water for the hammam was drawn by horses. But behind the baths you will still find the chambers of the külhanbey, the legendary league of stokers.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



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GALATASARAY HAMAMI since 1481

Galatasaray, Beyoğlu - Istanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°01'58.2"N 28°58'47.7"E / 41.032833, 28.979917



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

The Galatasaray Hamam was built by Bayezit II in 1481 with the Galatasaray Külliyesi (complex of buildings adjacent to a mosque). It is located in the Galatasaray neighborhood of the Beyoğlu district, at the junction of Turnacıbaşı and Çapanoğlu streets in Istanbul.

Galatasaray Hamam, is in the buildings of Galatasaray Mosque - (Külliye), It was originally built, together with the külliye itself during the region on Beyazıt II. The construction of Galatasaray Hamam stands on a mysterious story. When the Sultan Beyazıt was wandering around the land where today's Galatasaray Lycee and the Galatasaray Hamam stands on now; he sees a hut. This hut belongs to Gül Baba, a respected man of his time.

Sultan Beyazıt meets this man and asks him "Gül Baba - do you have any wishes?" and Gül Baba wishes the construction of a school to conquer over the centuries and a Külliye to have a hamam with a dome. Sultan Beyazıt accepts the wish and makes the külliye built in 1481. Gül Baba's grave is still in the Külliye and the Galatasaray Hamam has conquered over the centuries just like he has wished.

Although it has been said that the present Galatasaray Market was built during the reconstruction of Galatasaray Devshirme Recruits and the Palace School (Galatasaray İçoğlanları Kışlası) during the rule of Sultan Ahmet III,  some researchers have claimed that this is a baseless rumor. Instead, they support the argument that the Hamam was a part of Galatasaray Külliye.

The editor of the book "History of Galatasaray", Fethi Isfendiyaroğlu, states that the Galatasaray Hamam has served the students, during his education. Thus he says, as a student of Galatasaray Lycee "Before, during our times, there was hamam service every morning, the students were gathered in their dormitories every morning and taken to Galatasaray Hamam, next to the garden of the school. When the students were in the bath, the door of the hamam was closed and no other customers were let in.

One enteres the cold room (soğukluk) from the dressing room. There are rubbing places (keselik) consisting of seven basins. One enters the hot room (harare), which is covered by large domes, from the cold room. In the hot room there is a navel stone (göbek taşı).

On both sides of the door, there are two "halvets" (a very hot bathing cubicle in the bath) that are roofed by a dome. In addition, there are six sofas (a long room, onto which a number of rooms open) which contain more than 15 kurnas (a marble basin under a tap in a Turkish bath) of various sizes.

When it was restored in 1965, the dressing room was made of concrete blocks, a fountain was placed in the middle, a section of the hamam wall was covered with tile, and also a small women’s section was added. The Galatasaray Hamam has made it to our times through continuous maintenance and restoration. It has been consistently serving domestic and foreign visitors.

The Galatasaray Hamam, addressing the centuries, have served many pashas, Muslim judges ( kadi ), and grand viziers and have participated in the pure lifes of these people. Galatasaray Hamam, with the heritage of the past,  is also modern, both in the quality of its services and the hospitality of its staff.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Galatasaray Hamamı

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : info@galatasarayhamami.com
Phone : +90 212 252 4242
Fax : +90 212 249 4342

These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2017, respected writers and photographers from the internet. All Rights Reserved.

SÜLEYMANİYE HAMAMI since 1550

Süleymaniye, Fatih - Istanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°00'57.2"N 28°57'56.4"E / 41.015889, 28.965667



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

Süleymaniye Hamam is a historic Turkish bath in Istanbul, Turkey. The building, situated on a hill facing the Golden Horn, was built in 1550 by the famed Turkish architect Sinan and named for Süleyman the Magnificent. It is part of the Süleymaniye mosque complex. Sülemaniye Hamam is a traditional bathhouse consisting of three sections: cold, lukewarm and hot. The hamam is still operating today and caters mainly to tourists

HAMAM CULTURE

Süleymaniye Turkish Bath consists of three sections. These are as follows in sequence from the entry :

1- Cold section: This is a place where you can change your clothes with your bath towel and also you can drink something, if you wish.

2- Lukewarm section: This section is a place where you can adapt your body to temperature while passing to the hot section in a balanced manner and also you can drink something, if you wish.

3- Hot section: The temperature of this section is approximately 40° - 60° C (72° - 108° F) . If you have any problem with your health, please do not venture yourself. Please inform us about your health conditions. This section is the place where the guests sweep and relax and also where rubbing the body with bath glove, massage and bath takes place.

Since the bath culture may vary from country to country, please change your clothes with bath-towel provided by us in clothes changing cabinets shown by personnel on duty. Please lock the door of your cabinet and the key with you during bath for safety purpose. Our Turkish bath will not be responsible for the losses from unlocked cabinets.

Personnel on duty provides you with clog for usung on wet grounds after you locked the door of the cabinet and took  the key with you. Our guests who have never experienced clog before should be careful. Personnel on duty shows you toilets, lukewarm section after you locked the door of the cabinet and put the clog on and bring you to the hot section of the Turkish Bath.

Our guests sweep and relax in hot section (on central massage platform) for a period varying from 30 minutes to 55 minutes according to their health condition. After your relaxing, the Hamam attendant (masseur) will come and rub your body with bath-glove first and than make massage with soap and bath you in a separate place (halvet section).

After rubbing, massage and bath is completed, you can change your wet bath towel with the dry one in changing room or you may obtain assistance from the personnel on duty. After that, your bath process in Turkish Bath is completed. If you wish, you may continue to relax in lukewarm or cold section again.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



WEB SITE : Süleymaniye Hamamı

MORE INFO & CONTACT
E-Mail : info@suleymaniyehamami.com.tr
Phone : +90 212 519 5569 / +90 212 520 3410
Fax : +90 212 519 5570

These scripts and photographs are registered under © Copyright 2017, respected writers and photographers from the internet. All Rights Reserved.

ÇEMBERLİTAŞ HAMAMI since 1584

Çemberlitaş, Fatih - Istanbul - Turkey

GPS : 41°00'30.8"N 28°58'18.0"E / 41.008556, 28.971667



PHOTOGRAPHS ALBUM

The Çemberlitaş Bath (Çemberlitaş Hamamı) is located on Çemberlitaş Square on Divanyolu Street situated in the midst of some of Istanbul’s greatest monuments. The bath was established by Nurbanu Sultan, wife of Sultan Selim II and mother of Sultan Murat III, for the purpose of bringing in revenue to support the Valide-i Atik Charity Complex in Toptaşı, Üsküdar. According to the Tuhfet’ül-mi’mârin, the bath is one of the structures built by the architect Sinan, in 1584.

The Çemberlitaş Hamam was planned as a double bath consisting of two identical, side-by-side facilities. The entrance for the men’s section is on Vezir Han Street and, because the road height has increased over time, it now has a deep entrance that is ten steps below street level. There are eaves over the entrance and on top of the entrance door there is an inscription with six lines in three columns.

In the past the entrance for the women’s section must have been from the Divanyolu Street adjacent to the tomb of Sultan Mahmut, but today women also use the men’s entrance and proceed to their own section through a side door. Part of the dressing room in the women’s section was lost when the Divanyolu street was widened in 1868.

The side that was cut off was closed with a wall that has rectangular windows on the bottom and star shaped ones at the top. The dressing room areas of the men and women’s sections are both roofed with large domes. There are three tiers of dressing rooms under these domes that were in the past both illuminated with windowed, dome- top cupolas called "roof lanterns".

Today only the lantern in the women’s section remains in its original state. The dome topped by this lantern rests on arches leaning on fine columns and is elegantly decorated. Today the men’s dressing room area, called the "cold area", is a quiet and restful area used as a resting and waiting place after the bath.

Each of the warm areas of the bath are  roofed by three domes. The toilets are reached from this area and have been built as extensions from the building proper. One enters the hot, bathing area from this transitional warm area through a wooden door in the area built under the middle dome. The plan of this hot area is unique as it does not entirely conform to traditional layouts for this bathing area. This can be explained with the fact that the architect Sinan both liked to innovate in his work, and also to the fact that Sinan was closely involved with the construction of the structure.

This space is shaped like a square on the outside, but the inner dimensions are in the shape of a circle formed of twelve columns, becoming a twelve-cornered polygon. The architect beautifully situated the domed, private bathing cubicles, the halvet, in the space made up of the four outer corners outside of the polygon.

Four antechambers are between the cubicle spaces. One enters the hot section by passing through these antechambers. The large dome covering the hot section is supported by high arches on top of columns with baklava shaped heads. The cubicles are separated from the main area by marble slab walls topped by tulip shapes. These dividers have inscriptions carved into each side. The private cubicles are entered through arched doorways at their front sides.

Couplets are inscribed on the front and the triangular shaped upper elements are covered with blossoms. The bath has 38 washing stalls. The multi-faceted central stone platform is directly beneath the wide dome. This broad heated platform is illuminated by the glass globe "elephant eyes" fitted into the overhead dome that catch the light from all directions.

This building dates to Sinan’s last period, one in which his long experience and great skill allowed him to combine functionality, elegance and tranquillity without abandoning his basic style that is devoid of overly decorated elements. For these reasons the architecture of his bath remains a focal point for Turkish and foreign researchers, universities, photographers, filmmakers, media professionals and students.

BATH SERVICES

At the entrance to the bath, the bather will select and pay for one of the bathing options and be given tokens and directions.

After undressing in the dressing room area the bather will wrap his or her body in the "peştemal," a printed cotton body wrap, before leaving the dressing room. After locking all belongings in the locker provided (remembering to keep the key on his or her person at all times), the bather passes into the hot area that includes the central heating stone platform. This area is called the "hot area" (sıcaklık alanı) and includes the large, hot stone which is surrounded by bathing basins (kurna) and private bathing cubicles (halvet).

The bather should first get his or her body to perspire, either by lying or sitting on the hot stone platform or pouring hot water on the body by sitting next to one of the basins. If you have chosen the second option, the attendant will give you an exfoliating scrub and massage as you lie on the hot platform. You will then move to one of the basins and the attendant will wash you there.

If you prefer, however, you may remain lying on the platform to further perspire and rest and then, when you please, you may move to one of the basins to wash the body. The scrub, massage, and wash by the attendant lasts for approximately fifteen minutes, while the typical bather will remain resting and washing for one to one and a half hours, but there is never a time limit.

If you chose the first option, you will perspire either on the hot platform or nearby areas and then wash yourself at one of the basins.

When you feel ready to leave the bath, you will be given towels to use for drying. When you first enter the bath you should use one "peştemal", but you may use more than one towel for drying.

LOCATION SATELLITE MAP



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MORE INFO & CONTACT
Phone : +90 212 522 7974 / +90 212 520 1850
Fax : +90 212 511 2535

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