Turkish Hammam Culture's History

With the collapse of Rome, comfort elements of the Roman lifestyle disappeared. The bath, which is a very comprehensive building complex for the Romans, had a medium temperature room (tepidarium), a hot steam room (caldarium) and a separate room (frigidarium) with a cold pool. In some larger baths, there were separate compartments, a reading room and a sports area called Apoditerium, which had locker rooms. But these treatment centers were for the rich and political elite. 

While these baths remained without care after the collapse of the Roman Empire, Arabs living under the Roman rule in other countries on the Mediterranean, like Syria, had the tradition of bathing. However, the water used in the baths was not as stable as the Romans, as the Arabs and Muslims gave great importance to the cleanliness of the water because Islam promoted cleanliness, hygiene and health. In such a way, there were more than a thousand baths in a city of two hundred and fifty thousand.

Hundreds of years later, the baths were rediscovered by the Crusaders who saw Muslim baths in Jerusalem and Syria. However, this was not long lasting, because it belonged to the culture of infidel and partly because of immoral use by the Europeans who do not obey the baths adultery, because of the increased sexual habits and diseases, the church has prohibited the baths. The reunion of the Europeans with the bath took place in the 17th century with the discovery of Turkish baths. In the same period, the use of eastern baths and lavender flowers became fashionable. In many European cities, many baths were built by merchants.

After that, Turkish baths have become a tradition that has survived to the present day with peshtemal, copper mugs, cotton pouches and many more authentic elements. This situation brings to life a reality that is experienced by imitations seen in many countries. Cleaning is often the basis of mental health and beauty.