The historic bathhouses of Istanbul were built on the sites of the great thermae of the ancient Romans. Today, they are a last vestige of the bathing tradition that was celebrated across the Mediterranean for centuries. A visit to Istanbuls most spectacular bath, Cagaloglu Hamam, offers some surprising and occasionally disconcerting connections to the past.
The historic bathhouses of Istanbul were built on the sites of the great thermae of the ancient Romans. Today, they are a last vestige of the bathing tradition that was celebrated across the Mediterranean for centuries. A visit to Istanbuls most spectacular bath, Cagaloglu Hamam, offers some surprising and occasionally disconcerting connections to the past.