Hamam: Warmth-water-wellness Even the ancient Romans knew what was good for them with their thermal baths. The first mentions of a Hamam (Arabic for "warm") go back more than 800 years. There are archaeological finds of Hamam from the Umayyad period (7th/8th century) and mentions in the Iraqi city of Basra, for example. A Hamam was built near water - or the water needed was fed into the building with the help of animals. The heating chambers were separated from the guests so that fuel could be delivered without any problem. There was often a fountain in the entrance area. A supervisor ("sahib al-sunduq") kept the changing rooms tidy. After the Ottomans conquered Constantinople, the Roman-Byzantine bathing culture mixed with the Ottoman one. Supported by the Islamic ablution requirements, visits to the Hamam soon spread to broad sections of the population. The hamam became a place of social contact, while in the traditional hamam women and men were strictly separated in time and space. Here, business was done between men, women exchanged information and groomed themselves. In many hamams there was a barber who shaved the men or cut their hair. Whole families visited the hamam, brought food with them and enjoyed the togetherness and warmth. There are stories that even the Vikings were enthusiastic about the Ottoman bathing culture on their trading trips to the Caspian Sea and brought these rituals back to the far north. Since the construction of baths that supported the Islamic commandments represented religious good deeds, the buildings were usually donated to foundations and were not for sale. This ensured their continued existence. With the advent of private bathrooms, the user class changed. Today, hamams are very popular in Germany as places of wellness and relaxation. The first German hamam opened in 1988 in the chocolate factory in Berlin. Every major city offers at least one "pure" traditional Hamam, many hotel spas offer Hamam treatments or have also developed an area as a Hamam. Hamam are places of cleansing and relaxation. The gentle warming of skin and muscles, peeling with a special glove, massage under fragrant soap foam and rinsing away the stresses of everyday life with pleasantly warm water - possibly supplemented by a good massage from head to toe afterwards - is a treat for skin, muscles, mind and soul. At least it should be a treat. The "Turkish bath" is sometimes used to ride the Hamam trend with something similar - but of lower quality. I remember a Hamam with only about 22 degrees inside and dry air temperature, another Hamam had no pools for mixing the water. Certification is therefore necessary, which shows guests the quality to expect in advance. In one hotel spa, a small, cold room was considered a Hamam, in other hotel spas with a large Hamam, the visit was an all-round pleasure. The rest afterwards with a tea, sweets or fruit offers rest and recharge. A treat for body, mind and soul. PS: If you want to know more about the processes and are looking for longer descriptions, I recommend my book "Hamam The Wellness Ritual in German-speaking countries" (86 pages full of history, ceremony descriptions, Hamam ideas, glossary, information on providers). I am also happy to answer specific questions.
