A Turkish bath or hamam is similar to a Scandinavian
sauna but is closer to a Roman bath. It is based on
the same principles as the steam-bath but the focus
is on water rather than steam. Turkish Bath house is
still a major part of Turkish culture, a spa of
sorts for both cleansing and relaxing. Ottoman
Turks inherited the Roman bath concept—architecture
and tradition—as it existed in Asia Minor. They
adapted it to Turkish tastes, and called it “hammam.”
Although modern Turks do most of their showering at
home, the public hammam is still a major part of the
culture, as much a place about cleansing as it is
about relaxing. Here's a roadmap to enjoying a
Turkish bath in the traditional way. Female and male
sections are separated in traditional hammams. Yet
the bathing rituals are similar between the sexes.
There are a number of different services on offer in
most hammans, and you have to sort this out at the
beginning. A traditional Turkish bath package
includes 45 minutes of washing; traditional body
scrubbing with handwoven wash cloth known as a kese;
a foam wash; and a massage.
The attendants usually provide visitors with a
peshtemal, a thin cotton towel to wrap yourself and
a regular towel to use after bathing. It is okay to
bring your bathing suit or bikinis; but, since few
others—and no Turks—will be wearing anything, it’s
not recommended for the true experience. Almost all
historic baths in Istanbul have a dressing section
where you can store securely your belongings.
Once you are ready, the bath attendant will take you
into the warm section. Here you can relax and sweat
next to a kurna, the small marble basin. Next comes
the scrubbing, which is done by the attendant. Sit
back and relax, and let him scrub every inch of your
body with the kese. And don't worry: In most
traditional hammams, the washing spaces are
separated by marble panels to create a sense of
privacy. Once scrubbed, take your place on the warm
marble slab called the gobektasi in the hot section,
where your attendant is ready with a lacy,
foam-filled cloth for a sudsy massage. Following
this rejuvenating experience, most linger in the
bath area and relax. The hot section of a historic
Turkish bath is the most impressive part: It is
usually designed so that rays of light filtered into
this area from a high central dome, illuminating the
steam and creating an otherworldly feeling.
Back in the cold section, many hammams will serve
visitors a glass of sherbet, Ottoman-style juice, or
a cup of Turkish tea. The idea here is to spend a
few minutes allowing your body to come back to its
regular temperature. It’s also a time to tip your
attendants, which is normal in the hamman.
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