Hammam is a common name for public baths in Turkey and other Eastern countries.
The name "hammam" comes from the Arabic "حماام" (ammammām), which means "bath", and literally - "hot water".
Today, hammams in Turkey are an important part of the country's culture, as well as one of its business cards.
Historically, the hamam was not only a place of purification and relaxation, but also a place of meetings and communication.
Traditionally, hammams have beautiful interior decoration: "hot rooms" are decorated with marble, and taps on the walls are made of expensive metals. In large baths there are usually separate rooms for men and women, and in small ones there is one hall for men and women, but use on a certain day of the week for them. Today there are also common hamams.
There are a large number of hamams in Istanbul (Hamamı Istanbul / Hamami Istanbul), some of which are historical, built during the Ottoman Empire and visited by sultans, including Suleiman I the Magnificent and his beloved wife Roksolana (Hurrem Sultan).
Today, some historical Turkish baths have been restored and anyone can visit them.
Visiting Turkish hammams is now, to a greater extent, entertainment for tourists in order to relax, as well as diversify and enrich their holidays.
The services of hammams, in addition to traditional ones, may also include additional services: foam and relaxing massages, peels, wraps, masks and other Spa treatments, relaxing teas, etc.
Operating historical hamams in Istanbul
Hamam Hurrem Sultan
Hammam Hürrem Sultan (Hürrem Sultan Hamamı) is the most famous historical Turkish baths in Istanbul, built in the 16th century for the beloved and legendary wife of Suleiman the Magnificent - Roksolana.
The hammam was designed and built in 1556-1557 by the chief architect of the Ottoman Empire, Mimar Sinan. The 75-meter-long (246-foot) hammam was built in the style of classical Ottoman baths and had an architectural design new to hammams of that time - with two symmetrical separate sections for men and women located on the same axis in the north-south direction: the men's section was in the north, and the women's section was in the south.
Today, the building of the hammam has been restored and opened as a hammam with massage services and various packages of services. There is also a cafe-restaurant with tables in the open air.
The Hurrem Sultan Hammam is located in the historical heart of Istanbul, in Sultanahmet district, between Hagia Sophia Mosque and Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque, Sultanahmet Camii), at: Cankurtaran Mahallesi, Ayasofya Meydanı No:2 Sultanahmet Fatih / Istanbul.
Khurrem Sultan Hammam Website: hurremsultanhamami.com. Learn more about the Khurrem Sultan Hammam...
Hamam Suleymaniye
The Hammam Suleymaniye (Süleymaniye Hamamı) was built in 1550-1557 by the Turkish architect Mimar Sinan by order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and named after him.
This hamam was visited by Sultan Suleiman himself and other Ottoman sultans.
Sulemaniye hamami is a traditional bathhouse consisting of three sections: cold, warm and hot. The temperature in the hot part can reach 40 degrees Celsius. In the hammam, men and women are together. Male employees, called tellaks, serve all clients, doing, including foam massages.
The hamam is part of the complex Suleymaniye Mosques (Suleymaniye Camii).
Address of the Suleymaniye Hammam: Süleymaniye, Mimar Sinan Cd. No. 20, 34116 Fatih/Istanbul, Turkey.
The site of the hammam Suleymaniye: suleymaniyehamami.com.tr .
Kadyrga hamam
Kadirga Hammam or Kadirga (Kadırga hamamı) was built in 1734 on the initiative of Vizier Bayezid II - Yahya Pasha (Yahya Paşa bin Abdülhay).
During the history of the hammam, it was thoroughly restored in 1948 and 1952.
Today it is a classic hammam, divided into male and female parts. There are services of foam and classic massages with oil, scrub.
Kadırga Hammam address: Kadırga Limanı Cad. 69, Sultanahmet/Istanbul, Türkiye.
The website of hamam Kadyrga: kadirgahamami.com .
Chagaloglu Hamam
The Chagaloglu or Zhdaaloglu Hammam (Cağaloğlu Hamamı) is one of the most popular historical hammams in Istanbul.
The Ottoman-style hammam building with domes, arches and columns was erected in 1741 by order of Sultan Mahmud I as a public bath and in order to bring income to Sultan Mahmud's library. This hammam is one of the last large baths built during the Ottoman Empire.
During its existence, the walls of the hamam were visited by: King Edward VIII of England, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Franz Liszt and other famous people. Scenes for films and commercials were also filmed here.
The hammam is distinguished by richly decorated halls and Baroque elements in the decoration. The main steam room of the hammam is marble, spacious, with columns and windows in the dome.
The hammam is divided into two parts - for men and women. There is a small courtyard where you can relax and have a cup of tea, as well as a shop where you can buy soap and various accessories for washing.
The hammam also provides massages, masks and other SPA treatments.
There is a restaurant at the hammam.
The Chagaloglu Hammam is located in the historical center of Istanbul, at the address: Alemdar Mah. Profesör Kazım İsmail Gürkan Cad. No: 34 Cağaloğlu Hamamı 34110 Fatih, İstanbul/Turkey.
Website of the Chagaloglu Hammam: cagalogluhamami.com.tr/en .
Chamberlitash hamam
The Chamberlitash Hammam (Çemberlitaş Hamamı) was originally built by Mimar Sinan in 1584 by order of Nurbanu Sultan, the head of the imperial harem of Istanbul after the death of her second husband Selim II.
Today it is a historic building, which still houses the Chamberlitash hammam with bathrooms, steam rooms, massage services, peeling, masks and various service packages. There is also a restaurant and shops.
Hamam Chamberlitash is located in the historical part of Istanbul, in the Fatih district, on the Chamberlitash Square with the column of Constantine, at the address: Mollafenari, Vezirhan Cd. No:8, 34440 Fatih/Istanbul, Turkey.
Hamama Chamberlitash website: cemberlitashamami.com. More about Chamberlitash Hammam...
Hamam Sofular
Hammam Sofular (Sofular hamamı) is a traditional small historical hammam, which, according to guest reviews, does not always deserve good ratings.
The bathhouse was built during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II.
The services of foam and oil massages are denied in the hammam.
Sofular Hammam Address: Iskender Paşa Mahallesi, Sofular Cd. No: 28, (Aksaray Metro İstasyonu) Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye.
The website of the hammam Sofular: sofularhamami.com .
Hamam Gedik Akhmet Pasha
The hammam of Gedik Ahmet Pasha (Tarihi Gedikpaşa Hamamı) was built by order of Gedik Ahmet Pasha in 1475 by the architect Hayrettin, who was one of the most famous architects of the Ottoman period.
The hammam is a double bath consisting of male and female sections. There are massages, scrubs, masks and a swimming pool.
The hammam is located in the historical center of Istanbul, close to Grand Bazaar, at Hamam Caddesi No: 61 Gedikpaşa FATIH - ISTANBUL / TÜRKIYE.
Hammam website: gedikpasahamami.com.
Aha hamam
Agha Hammam (Ağa Hamamı) is one of the oldest hamams in Istanbul. The hamam was built in 1454 by Sultan Fatih Mehmed the Conqueror and was used as a private hamam of the Sultan and his sons.
In 1844, Abdul-Majid I (the 31st Ottoman Padishah) carried out a large-scale reconstruction of the hammam. The hammam was used by the padishahs and their sons until the last years of the Ottoman Empire.
The services of the hammam include: peeling, massages and masks.
The Agha Hammam is located in the Beyoğlu district, at Kuloglu Mh., Turnacibasi Cd. No: 48 Aga Hamami, 34433 , Taksim / Istanbul, Turkey.
The site of the Agha Hammam: agahamami.com .
Hamam Galatasaray
The Galatasaray Hammam (Galatasaray Hamamı) was built by Sultan Bayezid II in 1481 together with the complex of the same name.
The hammam services also include massages.
The Galatasaray Hammam is located in the tourist center of Istanbul, near the pedestrian shopping street Istiklal (Istiklal Caddesi), at the address: Kuloğlu Mah, Turnacıbaşı Cd. No: 8, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul.
The website of the hammam Galatasaray: galatasarayhamami.com.
Hamam Kylych ali Pasha
The Kilic Ali Pasha Hammam (Kılıc Ali Pasa Hamam) is one of the oldest and most beautiful Turkish baths in Istanbul.
The hamam was built in 1580-1587 by architect Mimar Sinan and was a complex of Kılıç Ali Pasha (Kılıç Ali Paşa), consisting of a mosque with the same name, a tomb, a fountain, a hammam and a religious gymnasium. The mosque still exists today.
The hamam has been restored today and works with peeling and massage services.
Hamam address: Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa, Hamam Sk. No:1, 34425 Beyoğlu/Istanbul, Turkey.
Hammam website: kilicalipasahamami.com.
The Hamam Was repaired
The Chinili Hammam was built by the decree of Sultan Ahmed I's wife - Kesem Sultan in the 1640s at the same time as the nearby "tiled" mosque of Chinili (Çinili Cami).
The tiles from the hamam were stolen in the 18th century, but the owners of the building decorated the facade and interior with blue tiles for a long time.
This hamam is inferior in area and decoration to other historical baths in Istanbul, but it still retains its atmosphere as before due to a marble fountain with goldfish, wooden details in the interior and a wood-burning heating system.
Sections for men and women are separate, and the female one is more than the male one. In addition to the traditional Turkish scrub, the local masters do soap and oil massages (the latter is only for women).
Hamma Chinili is located in the Asian part of Istanbul, in the Usküdar district, at the address: Çavuşdere Cad. Muratreis Mah. No: 204 Üsküdar / İSTANBUL.
The site of the hammam was repaired: cinilihamam.com .
Hamam Yuskyudar Shifa
Hammam Yuskyudar Shifa (Tarihi Üsküdar Şifa Hamamı) is one of the oldest hammams in Istanbul, which is called a healing historical bath and is also referred to as the "Old Hammam".
The construction of the hammam dates back to 1640 and it has preserved its historical appearance with a dome and traditional forms.
The hammam services include massages.
The hammam is located in the Asian part of Istanbul, in the Uskyudar district, at the address: Şifa Hamamı Sokak No: 24 Sultanahmet / ISTANBUL.
Hammam website: sifahamami.com .
There are hotels in Istanbul with a hammam, SPA and swimming pool. For example,
5-star superior hotel Swissotel The Bosphorus Istanbul
5-star Crowne Plaza Florya Istanbul, an IHG Hotel
5-star hotel The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul at the Bosphorus
5-star Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton
5-star CVK Park Bosphorus Hotel Istanbul
All accommodation facilities in Istanbul, including swimming pools, hammam and SPA services, can be viewed and booked here
You can get to hotels in Istanbul by public transport, taxi, rented car or using a shuttle with a guided tour.
