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Stepping through the marble doors and the swirling steam, visitors are introduced to a centuries-old tradition – the hammam, Türkiye’s iconic public bath. More than a place to purify the body, the hammam is a social ritual inherited from ancient Rome and flourished during the Ottoman Empire. There were once more than 230 hammams in Turkey, and today about 60 establishments still keep alive this ancient bathing ritual.
In Istanbul alone, it is estimated that there are over 230 street hammams, although only about 60 remain in operation. Each room has its own facilities, with relaxing spa treatments for users.
Today Turkish baths are still commonly visited by locals and can be found in many places across the country.
Hammams were important social spaces, especially in the past, as they were one of the few spaces where women could socialize outside their homes without asking permission, breaking free from their domestic roles or even looking for a future bride for their sons. Women from wealthy families often carried elaborate personal items such as tası (carved water bowls) and pestemal (hand-embroidered cotton towels), which indicated their status and respect for the ritual bathing.
Although called a bathhouse, a traditional hammam does not have an actual bath, but is designed as a journey with at least three areas, each designed to enhance the guest's experience. The changing room (camekan) is the first entrance, always with a fireplace, where guests change, store personal belongings, and serve as a relaxation area after bathing.
The melodious sounds, the soft light from the dome shining on the marble surface, the sound of flowing water in the steamy space create the mystery of public baths (hamam) in Türkiye.
In the intermediate room (sogukluk), a small door leads to the next room, with a toilet and a separate kurna (marble basin) for filling water. The main hot room (sicaklik), this is the largest area, the center of the hammam. The room is usually circular, with a high dome and heated by a furnace located under the floor. In the center of the room is a high circular marble platform called a göbek taşı (navy stone) – where visitors lie down to feel the heat and also where scrubbing and massage treatments take place. Around the walls are many kurna which visitors can fill with warm and cold water as desired.
Special attention is paid to the architecture of the hammam. The two main heated rooms are always domed, with a height greater than their width. The openings in the domes not only allow the steam to escape, but also contribute to the mystical atmosphere, as soft light falls on the marble and steam surfaces. Cultural expert Ahmet describes the effect as “gazing into the cosmos” with “stars in the sky.” The melodious sounds, the sound of running water, and the sparkling steam combine to create a feeling of absolute relaxation.
At the heart of the hammam experience are the kese (body scrubbing) and foam massages performed by professional “bathers” (tellak for men and natir for women). It’s an art passed down through generations. Elif Tamtartar, a female bather with 25 years of experience at Zeyrek Cinili Hamam, says she learned kesecilik (the art of body scrubbing) from her mother and grandmother as a child.
Customers will experience an extremely relaxing foam massage.
After changing into (usually disposable underwear or swimwear), visitors are wrapped in peştemal towels and led to lie on the warm göbek taşı. The heat from the stones combined with the hot air helps visitors sweat, open their pores and achieve a state of deep relaxation. Bath attendants use kese gloves, which resemble rough cloth sandpaper (in the past, pumice stones), to scrub their entire bodies. Although it may feel a little rough, it thoroughly removes dead skin and dirt from the skin, an experience that visitors will not soon forget when they see the black dirt peeling off.
Once the skin is clean, the bather will create a rich lather by applying soap (usually olive oil-based to preserve the skin’s natural oils) to a soft, wet cloth, blowing it up, and then gently gliding it over the body to massage. This process leaves the skin soft and refreshed, helping to prevent aging and speed up cell regeneration.
Bath attendants advise guests to eat a light meal and avoid alcohol before coming, and to avoid using lotions or oil-based products beforehand, as these will reduce the effectiveness of the kese. Most bath attendants are experienced in communicating with foreign guests through body language, so visitors can easily let them know if they feel the pressure is too strong.
Try visiting a Turkish hammam once to enjoy the special atmosphere in the ancient building and truly relax your body and refresh your senses.
After the scrubbing and massage are complete, visitors will have their hair washed and then gently step out of the hot room. An important rule is not to leave the hammam too suddenly. The body will be dried and wrapped in a towel, then visitors will return to the original relaxation area to lie down, enjoy tea and slowly regain balance.
Hammam is more than just a cleansing treatment. It is a place where people wash away their worries, allowing the energy of water, heat, and the delicate touch of hands to blend in a quiet space. When these energies are in harmony, a natural healing process occurs. Hammam is an ancient ritual of relaxation, rejuvenation, and self-care – bringing a sense of well-being to both body and mind, making it a unique cultural experience that anyone visiting Türkiye should try at least once.
