Zeyrek Cinili Hamam, which opened in Istanbul last spring after a 13-year-long restoration.Murat Germen/Zeyrek Cinili Hamam
Naked except for a pair of paper underpants, I am lying on a hot marble slab with two girlfriends, staring at a white, domed ceiling. Star-shaped cutouts draw in daylight, spilling soft shadows around the scalloped arches and highlighting the building’s classical Ottoman design.
We are not being sacrificed to the gods.
We are soaking up the heat and grandeur of the historic Zeyrek Cinili Hamam, which opened in Istanbul last spring after a 13-year-long restoration transformed it into a stunning, luxurious retreat.
Zeyrek Cinili Hamam is one of the city’s ancient treasures, constructed in the early 1500s. It was commissioned by Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa and designed by Mimar Sinan, chief architect of Suleyman the Magnificent’s court. Built to serve the community, the hammam fell into ruin over the years. Why? An article in Turkish news outlet Anadolu Ajansi put the reason down to the introduction of indoor plumbing, which turned bathing into a more private affair. People stopped going to the public baths.
Hammam culture dates back more than two millenniums. Made popular throughout the Roman Empire, hammams, or bathhouses, were also common in the Middle East, North Africa, Andalucia, Central Asia and India.
Constructed in the early 1500s, Zeyrek Cinili Hamam is one of Istanbul’s ancient treasures.Ibrhim Özbunar/Zeyrek Cinili Hamam
As places of cleansing and purification, they were, and still are, traditionally open to people from all walks of life and religions.
Since I am a spa and history buff, I was determined to see what this hammam offered. I knew it wouldn’t be like the private pampering I’d received at North American spas. Just how different was a surprise.
We took a cab to a cobbled street in the Zeyrek neighbourhood. We found the entrance and were led to the women’s section. Men have their own space
An attendant brought us a refreshing rose sorbet drink before our treatments. Cool and ruby red, it was deliciously tart.
The treatments at Zeyrek Cinili Hamam are based on ancient techniques with modern touches. My friends and I opted for the basic treatment: an hour of soapy scrubbing and massage. Other offerings included clay masques and anti-aging creams.
An attendant led us to a row of lockers. We shed our clothing and were handed paper underpants. One of my friends had thought ahead and wore bathing suit bottoms. As long as your upper half is bare for the soapy massage, you can chose what to wear below. Slipping into provided robes, we followed the attendant into the steamy domed women’s hall (or sicaklik).
The spa building was a ruin when purchased in 2010 by the Marmara Group. Renovations were expected to take three years but the discovery of a Byzantine cistern under the hammam and other precious artifacts delayed the restoration.Murat Germen/Zeyrek Cinili Hamam
Hanging our robes on a peg, we laid back on the hot slab for around 15 minutes. At first it was a little nerve-racking. Were we supposed to do anything while lying there? No. It was the first stage of the treatment and meant to relax the muscles. Glancing around the hall, I noticed other women sitting by taps of running water, getting rinsed and massaged.
This was a communal experience, with everyone in the same state of undress. Not like home at all.
The heat was intense. But the warmth worked to loosen knots brought on by hoisting heavy travel bags. I was melting into the marble. Before I turned into a puddle, my hammam therapist (or natır), a diminutive dark-eyed woman who spoke no English, took me by the hand and led me to a marble seat beside a brass basin.
She poured cool water over me and rubbed my skin with a slightly abrasive linen kese mitt, washing away dead skin. Then the bubbling began. My attendant lifted a cotton torba pouch from a soapy bath and whoosh, I was covered in clouds of foam.
Next, she massaged my neck, shoulders, arms and calves. The knots dissolved like candy in the rain.
After one final rinse and a hair wash, I was dried with a plush white towel. Donning my robe, I headed to the women’s cold room (or sogukluk). A red and blue patterned Turkish rug lay on the grey marble floor and a lounging sectional topped with striped pillows beckoned. Smooth butternut wood panelling covered one wall and fragments of the original painted interior remained on the others. I stretched out and was almost lulled to sleep by the gentle splash of a fountain in the middle of the room.
Pink and glowing, I was as clean and scrubbed as a new potato. But the visit was not yet over. After dressing, we all headed to the adjacent museum to learn more about the restoration.
The treatments at Zeyrek Cinili Hamam are based on ancient techniques with modern touches.BARBAROS CANGURGEL/Zeyrek Cinili Hamam
We found fragments of the original structure uncovered during rebuilding. Pieces of the original blue-and-white patterned Iznik tiles were displayed, as were stone carvings and pottery from the Byzantine period. I admired the old bathing bowls and mother-of-pearl combs, and was especially taken with the collection of exquisite wooden platform bathing shoes.
The spa building was a ruin when purchased in 2010 by the Marmara Group, a private real estate investment firm headquartered in Istanbul. Renovations were expected to take three years but the discovery of a Byzantine cistern under the hammam and other precious artifacts delayed the restoration.
The biggest challenge was preserving the building’s historical layers, said Yavuz Suyolcu, director of construction and projects at Marmara Group.
“The first four years were dedicated to research, excavation and documentation, while the next seven focused on structural reinforcements, conservation of historic elements and restoring the water and heating systems,” he explained.
The final three years involved designing museum and event spaces, he added.
Hammam bathing rituals are a part of Turkish culture. Modernity and home plumbing may have diminished their importance but last year Aljazeera reported a renaissance of the practice in Istanbul, citing a series of hammam restorations.
“Restoring and reintroducing hammam culture to the community ensures its survival,” Suyolcu said. “A functioning hammam will always remain relevant. It’s not just a building; it’s a part of Istanbul’s identity, now preserved for future generations.”
For a foreigner, this peek into bubbly Turkish bathing culture was a ritual pampering like nothing I had experienced before. Clean has never felt so glamorous or luxurious.
IF YOU GO
Book your appointment online ahead of time at zeyrekcinilihamam.com. Take an Uber from your hotel, not a cab as some taxi drivers inflate the fare. Bring a hairbrush and other after-shower items you might need. Robes and paper underwear are provided. If you are super shy, bring your own bottoms. You’ll have to go topless, though. Men and women receive treatments in separate areas. You can pay with a credit card, but bring cash to tip your attendant.
Hammam treatments vary, starting at $150 for 50 minute scrub, up to a 105 minute treatment with hand and foot massage for $370. For details, visit zeyrekcinilihamam.com
