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TURKISH BATH
HISTORY OF TURKISH BATHS
The Romans, who have left many examples in the ancient sites of Turkey, brought the Turkish bath to Turkey. The Romans, Byzantine and nomadic people of Asia Minor had their own variations of bathing rituals.
The Turkish bath was used in most cities by the common people as they did not have running water in their homes and while traveling and trading. Cleanliness is very important to the Islamic religion and to the Turks in general.
TAKING A TURKISH BATH
Many visitors to Turkey have misconceptions about Turkish baths and do not know what to expect. For this reason we will go into more detail of this enjoyable experience. Traditional Turkish baths have separate sections for women and men, or have different visiting times or days for women and men. Women attend to women and men attend to men unless a mixed group rents the whole bath.When you enter a hamam, you will generally see a central courtyard or "Camekan" where refreshments are available. Small changing rooms generally surround this central area of relaxation. There may also be a marble fountain. You will be provided with a towel and a "Pestemal" which is a large fringed garment, normally striped or checked and made of cotton that you wrap around your body. In traditional baths the Pestemal is normally worn during the whole bathing process, but there may be nudity especially in the women's section. Those who are particularly modest should bring a bathing suit. It is recommended to bring your own soap and shampoo as what is available costs extra and is of low quality. The bather enters the sweating area or "Hararet" where there is a low marble platform called the "Gobek Tasi" which is heated. He or she spends some time relaxing on this platform. Around this area, there are normally open cubicles with marble basins called "Kurne". After you have perspired, you can either bath yourself by sitting near the basin and filling it with hot water, then dipping the "Tas" which is a bowl, traditionally of copper or brass having grooves and ornamentation, and pouring it over yourself, or you may request the attendant to scrub you with a "Kese" which is normally a coarse mitt made of natural fibers. This process results in deep skin cleaning and a feeling of refreshment after the bath, but note that it can take off layers of your carefully achieved suntan. Both scrubbing by the attendant, and a massage are optional features of the Turkish bath and cost extra. You may stay in the hamam as long as you like, but generally an hour is enough. Make sure that you get plenty of fluids and let yourself cool down before going outside. In Istanbul it is possible for groups to rent a section of the bath at certain times if they would like mixed bathing.For those who particularly like the Turkish bath and thermal waters, you may also consider a visit to Bursa, where some hotels have private thermal pools or Turkish bath for couples.
ISTANBUL TURKISH BATHS INFORMATION
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