Thessaloniki Bey Hammam

Location: Egnatia

Note: According to the Ephorate of Antiquities of Thessaloniki, the building is temporarily closed to the public, due to the restoration and maintenance of its interior design. The project is expected to be completed in December 2025.

Bey Hammam, also known as the Baths of Paradise, is an Ottoman bathhouse located at Archaia Agora Square, along Egnatia Street. It was constructed in 1444 by Sultan Murad II on the ruins of an older Byzantine church. The bathhouse is considered a landmark of high historical importance, as it was the first hammam in Thessaloniki and one of the biggest in all of Greece.

Bey Hammam continued its operation up until 1968. The earthquake of 1978 caused severe damage to the historical building, which had to be restored. In the years that followed, it was primarily used for hosting cultural events and exhibitions. Today, the eastern annex also houses the principal shop of the Foundation of Archaeological Receipts, owned by the Ministry of Culture.

The bathhouse has two separate rooms, one for men and one for women. The male quarters are the most spacious and include a large octagonal cold room, arcades, and a painted cupola. There is also a tepid room and a collection of hot rooms with basins and marble benches around a bigger, cruciform-shaped area.