Editor’s note: The Canadian and U.S. governments advise exercising a high degree of caution if travelling to Turkey due to crime, the threat of terrorist attacks, and ongoing demonstrations.
It was with trepidation that I entered the doorway marked by a bold sign announcing this was one of the “1,000 Places To See Before You Die.” Visiting an authentic Turkish hamam was definitely on my bucket list but having heard stories of brawny masseurs, and with no facility in the Turkish language, I wondered if I would survive this adventure with bones intact.
But not to worry. While the hamam has a long history of physical aggressiveness in Ottoman culture, thankfully bone crunching is out of fashion.
Cağaloğlu Hamami is the oldest Turkish bath in Istanbul, commissioned by Sultan Mehmet I in 1741 as a gift to the city. The beautifully detailed building, two levels high, has high domed ceilings, internal marble fountains, an interior garden, and is an architectural delight. Built in the centre of the old city, Cağaloğlu is near the Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace.
In the past, men visited the hamam for ritual cleanliness and to conduct business. But for women, a visit to the hamam represented a day of freedom. The hamam was a highly ritualized social event that gave women an opportunity to leave the seclusion of their homes and interact in a safe, sanctioned environment. Women led a severely restricted life with social activity limited to family, and the hamam provided a way to fulfill their religious obligations for cleanliness and at the same time meet with friends.
