Why Should We Visit a 'Turkish Bath' in Turkey?

Recently, a historical 'Turkish bath' dating back five hundred years has reopened in Istanbul, attracting many residents and tourists. Baths have historically been important public places and venues for social interaction. What is the background of 'Turkish baths'? Public baths, which date back to ancient times in both ancient Iran and ancient Rome, have been more commonly referred to as Turkish baths in modern times, especially in the West. This type of bath, which dominated many areas of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa from the 14th to the 20th centuries, expanded significantly during the Ottoman Empire. The painting 'Turkish Bath' by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, created in the 19th century and currently housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, illustrates this cultural significance. However, after the collapse of this empire and the rise of home baths, many of these baths gradually disappeared; currently, only a few remain from the hundreds that existed in Cairo, one of the cities under Ottoman rule. In Istanbul, the former capital of the Ottoman Empire, preserving these baths has now become a major concern. In this context, the old Zırak Çinili bath in Istanbul has recently reopened after restoration, allowing people to visit this bath once again. What does going to a 'Turkish bath' in Turkey mean? The Ottoman era was a golden age for bath culture. Visiting these baths was considered both a means of physical cleanliness and a ritual for spiritual purity. Zafar Akgol, a resident of Istanbul who visited the Zırak Çinili bath, told AFP, 'These baths are important for hygiene. They scrub our skin with hot water, then we enter the sauna and steam room to relax our bodies. They massage our skin well. It is beneficial for the body, allowing our veins to breathe. It removes all dirt.' The restoration of the Zırak Çinili bath in Istanbul took thirteen years. Sometimes these baths were also used for wedding and birthday celebrations. Akgol added, 'Before special days like holidays, weddings, or when we feel special, like on a romantic date, we come here, bathe, clean everything, get massages, and come out ready, like a groom.' He emphasized, 'Our goal is for young people to learn from us so that our baths do not disappear in the future. These places are valuable; we love them, and we will come here for every occasion.' Due to this importance, architects also paid special attention to the architecture of these baths. Beryl Gur Tanili, the director of a museum established next to the Zırak Çinili bath, points to this architecture, noting that around three thousand pieces of tile were discovered from this bath. She stated, 'This place was purchased by the Marmara company in 2010, and it was at that time that restorations began to restore its original function as a bath.' The restoration process took thirteen years and turned into an archaeological excavation. During this excavation, most of the missing tiles, from which the bath's name, meaning 'covered with tiles,' is derived, were found. During the restoration of the Zırak Çinili bath, about three thousand pieces of tile were discovered. Ms. Tanili mentioned, 'In Turkey, bath/museums are located in Istanbul and a few other cities like Eskişehir or Gaziantep. It is clear that baths continue to operate, but this bath serves both as a bath and a museum.' According to historical statistics, in 1638, Istanbul had 14,536 public and private baths. However, most of Turkey's baths have been destroyed in fires and earthquakes, and many of their artifacts were sold to European antique dealers in the 19th century. Nevertheless, some of them are still operational. Manolia Gokgoz, the public relations manager of another bath in Istanbul, highlights the role these baths have played in creating collective memory. She states, 'When I was a child, many guests came to this bath, large families, grandmothers, children, grandchildren. We miss this hustle and bustle. Nowadays, baths are less attractive because people have gas water heaters at home or hotels have saunas and spas. Previously, people did not have hot water at home and went to baths for socializing.' The Zırak Çinili bath is approximately five hundred years old, which also adds to its tourism value. Essentially, Turkish baths, in addition to their historical functions, have now also taken on a tourism role and are even established in European countries to attract tourists.