Rethymno Ottoman Baths

Location: Town

An interesting site in Rethymno is the Ottoman Baths, known as hamamms in Turkish. They are situated in the Old Town, on Radamanthyos Street, and date back to 1670. They consist of the lukewarm room, the hot room, and the changing room. The construction has been very well preserved to this day, but the baths are not open to the public, while the changing room has today been transformed into the Hamam Oriental Suites hotel.

The tradition of the hammams is long, and they still play an important role in the lives of Muslim people. The Ottomans used to construct hammams in every area they conquered, which is why you will find plenty of them in many areas of Greece. They did not only serve as regular steam baths but were also places of social gathering where cultural and religious rituals were hosted, like the bath of the bride. A bath was a religious practice as well, as the Quran dictates that the body should be washed twice a week.