The importance
of bath in Turkish life
For centuries Turkish hamam continues to exist as one of the major components of the Ottoman and Turkish hammam culture with its pestemal, rubber, large and bright dome and unique architectural beauty.
Hammam that was built with the purpose of the water use for health is not only a cleaning place for Turks. Turkish hammam is also health and entertainment center where people having social activities.
Turkish hamam is the home of the tradition of physical and spiritual purification. The body and skin is cleaned and they are purified from toxins, the blood circulation increases, immune system is stimulated so that the physical and mental system is supported with Turkish bath.
With these features, Turkish hamam is also center of attraction for the people from other countries who visited Turkey.
History of hamam and architecture of the Turkish Hamam is the special branche of science and art to be examined as meticulously. The Haseki Hurrem Turkish Hammam, The Tiled Turkish Bath, The Cemberlitas Istanbul Hammam, The Cagaloglu Turkish Hammam, The Kilic Ali Pasha Istanbul Hamam, The Galatasaray Istanbul Hamam, Grand Hamam and The Suleymaniye Hamam -which have been restored in accordance with the original buildings-, are the most beautiful examples of the construction of large domed Turkish hammam. At the same time these are the best Istanbul Hammams.
There are number of accessories that specific to the Istanbul Turkish bath and are still used in. The bath gloves that made of palm root and the Turkish work of pestemals are the most indispensables of them. Also the pumice stone which, used to rub the feet is always available in the hamam package. Inlaid copper, silver or brass bath bowl is one of the most beautiful examples of handwork. |
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Istanbul Hamam Guide
and Turkish Bath
You can find the answers of your questions in this site, such as; which are the best Istanbul hamams, how to use, how to have good time in Turkish hammam, what are the effects of the Turkish Bath to the health and the like.
Customary usage of Turkish hamam;
Hammams in Turkey are open from very early times in the morning until late at nights.
The time of stay in the Turkish Hamam is not limited. Customers can stay in the Turkish bath as long as they want.
People, after undressing in the small cells at the entrance of hamam, pass to the hot room for taking Turkish bath.
The keeper of Turkish hamam asks to the customers if they want to have a massage or bath glove. Usually the correct procedure is to have both of them. However, only the massage or just the bath glove may be asked to. If massage and bath glove is asked to, after the process of sweating for half an hour, rubber comes and begins to wash the customer.
Dry pestemals are given to the customers who wish to enter the sauna after the bath.
Also spread a dry peshtemal is necessary to lie on the heated marble slab (gobek tashi). The keeper of Turkish hamam may be asked to pumice for rubbing the feet.
The Turkish Bath temperature varies between 35-45 centigrade degrees according to the season. As for the temperature of sauna, it is between 55-60 centigrade degrees. Firstly rubbers wash their customers and then rub them with the help of a thick bath glove and they wash them again.
Lastly, depending on the customer's request, rubber lets the customer to lie on the heated marble slab. Then, begin to massage with his/her skillful hands. This is the world-famous
Turkish massage.
Turkish massage is done after relaxation of the muscles with the hot and moisture.
The relaxing effect of it is as strong as incomparable with any other massage.
After ending the operations of bathing, rubbing, massage and sauna, the customer passes to the cool room (sogukluk) by wrapping the dry pestemal that given by rubber.
There is an attendant in waiting to change the pestemals and the towels on the customer. Pestemal and towels are changed by this staff and then customer goes to the rest room.
Here, customers sip of the delicious drinks that served to them while resting by sitting on the sofa.
Hair dryer exists in the hamam. Single-use soaps are given to the customers. But those who want to bring their own cleaning materials are allowed. |
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