Bath Of Sultan

This was the bath area of the sultan and the women of the Harem.

These baths were built in 1585. They were used by the sultan, his mother, and his wives. The bath was made as a double hammam. A hammam is a Turkish bath. “Double” means there were two main parts, made for different people.

The bath was heated by a system called a hypocaust. This was an old way to warm a building from below the floor. A similar system was used in Roman baths long before.

In the 18th century, the bath was repaired. At that time, it was given a rococo style. Rococo means a rich and graceful style, with soft shapes and elegant detail.

There were small private washing rooms here. They were called halvet. Golden bars were placed there for the safety of the sultan.

This bath also shows how important cleanliness was for the Ottomans. There was even a toilet inside the hammam.

The building has elegant arches. Light passes through in a soft and beautiful way. The architect was Sinan. He is often called Sinan the Great, because of his wonderful work.