Gaziantep's Hammam Culture

“Hamam” is a structure defined as “a place to wash” that has been around since the ancient civilizations of history and has survived to the present day. The Turks developed the concept of hamam, especially during the Ottoman period, and turned these places into areas where women gathered, chatted and had fun. Therefore, they contributed to the hamam gaining social and cultural aspects and reaching the present day. For this reason, when it comes to hamam culture, the Ottomans and the Turks are the first names that come to mind as an important part of this culture.

Hamams, where social activities take place, stand out with this aspect as well as attract attention with their magnificent architecture. The works created with impressive Turkish architecture still have dazzling features with their designs, embroidery and many other details today. Gaziantep, which has a hamam tradition dating back centuries, as in many parts of Anatolia, is a province that attracts great attention from local and foreign tourists in every aspect. Gaziantep hamams, which attract attention with their designs; this city has a rich texture that makes it possible to experience culture, history and health tourism simultaneously.

In this article; we have prepared a list for those who want to add Gaziantep baths, which have hosted memories of past centuries and carry traces of history, to their "Places to visit in Gaziantep" list. Let's take a look together!

1. Historical Naib Bath

The Historical Naib Bath, built in 1640, is one of the Gaziantep baths mentioned in Seyahatname, the famous work of Evliya Çelebi, one of the leading travelers of the 17th century.

The structure, which keeps the Ottoman bath tradition alive, continues to provide its services in Gaziantep Castle. The venue, which fully presents the traditional Gaziantep bath culture, offers its visitors a wide range of activities in addition to bath services with:

-Sauna

-Massage

-Skin Care

-Gymnasium

-Vitamin Bar

sections. Located in the center of Antep, the bathhouse also makes it easy to participate in many excursions and similar activities in the city thanks to its location.

Currently, it accepts women between 09:00 - 17:00 and men between 18:00 - 24:00. For the entrance fee of Naib Bathhouse and in case there is an update on the working hours, please contact an authorized person before visiting.

2. Historical Tabak Bathhouse

One of the bathhouses that has managed to preserve its original function until today is the Historical Tabak Bathhouse. Although there is no clear information about its construction, it is estimated to be before the 17th century based on the Seyahatname of the famous traveler Evliya Çelebi.

The structure has a single bathhouse plan with a cross-shaped iwan made of large cut stone. With an octagonal pool in the middle, the Historical Tabak Bathhouse reflects the culture of Gaziantep in a complete way. In this way, the place offers its visitors the opportunity to travel to the past.

Since Tabak Hamam is located in the central area of ​​Gaziantep, in addition to visiting the hamam; it is easily accessible to nearby recreation areas, mosques, natural areas, restaurants and other venues.

The hamam is open every weekday and operates between 08.30 and 22.30. The venue, which accepts visitors within a flexible time period, can thus provide ideal solutions for those who want to have extensive opportunities for Turkish bath pleasure.

3. Yusuf Çelebi Hamam

The Yusuf Çelebi Hamam, whose construction phase lasted 7 years, was ready for use in 1993. The venue was built by Gaziantep-born Hacı Yusuf Çelebi, who knew the value of hamam culture and wanted to preserve it. Designed with Ottoman architecture in mind, the structure is a completely traditional hamam with details such as four corners, a central dome and a square navel stone.

The three-story Yusuf Çelebi Hamam offers its visitors a wide and spacious area with a total area of ​​1200 square meters. The venue,

-Glove

-Massage

-Ottoman Style Soap Massage

in addition to its applications, it leads foreign and local visitors to gain a full traditional Turkish/Ottoman bath experience with 17 bathing areas. Yusuf Çelebi Bath provides bath service throughout the day and has a system planned only for male visitors.

4. Gaziantep Bath Museum

The structure reflecting the Ottoman bath culture was used for centuries as the bath of the social complex built by Lala Mustafa Pasha. This place, which served as the “Pasha Bath” in the past, was restored by the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality and transformed into the “Gaziantep Bath Museum”.

The museum has a dynamic feature for visitors who want to have an idea and information about the historical Turkish bath tradition. Inside the museum, there are human and object representations that portray the period when the bath was used. You can observe the tellak, loincloth, pitcher, basin and many other Ottoman bath materials here.

You can get to know the city's bath culture more closely by visiting the Antep Hamam Museum, which is one of the places that must be marked on Gaziantep tour routes. The museum is open every weekday between 08.30 and 17.30.

Gaziantep Hamam Museum Entrance Fee

The Gaziantep Hamam Museum entrance fee is quite low. However, students over the age of 18, relatives of veterans and martyrs, citizens over the age of 65 and disabled, teachers and healthcare professionals have free entry with the condition of showing an ID. In addition, Gaziantep cards and contactless credit cards are accepted at museum entrances.

Written by: Tuğçe Arıcan