Similar to a sauna, the hammam offers much more from both a spiritual and holistic sense. The word hammam is derived from the Arabic word meaning heat, and in Arabic is sometimes generally applied to any bathroom. Originating in Arabia, the Turkish bath quickly spread to Western Europe by the Ottomans. In European countries the word hammam has since been used to describe hot springs or spa towns. According to ancient Islamic texts, the hammam promoted fertility, purity, and cleanliness. In ancient times, the hammam gained religious significance and was frequently annexed to mosques.
Early Origins
The first hammams consisted of three interconnected rooms modeled after the Greek-Roman baths. The first two rooms were sauna-like structures designed to induce sweating and can be compared to the Roman calidarium and tepidarium. Massages were typically given in one of these heated rooms.
The hammam's third room was used for cooling and rinsing. Here, drinks might be served and cubicles were available for napping. The ancient hammams, like the Roman baths, were used as social centers with separate rooms available for men and women.
Massage attendants have played an important role in the hammam since its origins. The attendants were known to rub their hands with pomegranate peel to harden them and give them a pleasant scent. Attendants also prohibited clients from eating in the hammam and, prevented lepers from entering. Also, anyone peeking at private parts was ejected.
Europe’s Hammams
By the 16th century, Budapest had four Turkish baths, which remain in existence today. However, it wasn’t until about 1850 that hammans were introduced in the United Kingdom. In 1856, the first modern Turkish bath in the region was established at St Ann's Hydropathic Establishment near Blarney in Ireland. At its peak as many as 600 hammans existed in the UK. Today, although there are many Swedish saunas, only about 18 hammans are still open in the UK.
United States Hammams
The first hammam in the United States was built in Brooklyn, New York in 1863. Around this time, the first hammam opened in Canada. Since, hammams have become a regular part of American spas with an international following.
The Palms Place Hotel and Spa in Las Vegas boasts a co-ed hammam. The hammam here offers a relaxing atmosphere at a temperature not quite as hot as a sauna. With the fragrant scent of eucalyptus oil and the blissful sounds of soft music, this hammam is the perfect rejuvenator.
The Hammam Today
One of the most famous hammams in existence is Hamam Omerye in Nicosia, Cyprus. Built in the 14th Century, Hamam Omerye has been restored in recent years and is fully operational. Located in Lefkosia, Hamam Omerye received the Europa Nostra prize for the Conservation of Architectural Heritage in 2006.
In Morocco, the Bain Majorelle, hammam is located in the Ville Nouvelle of Marrakech, outside the medina. Here, local residents and tourists come for relaxing, cleansing sessions. Olive oil soap and a mud paste are routinely used as part of the pampering process. Once considered bathhouses for homes lacking indoor plumbing, hammams in the area now serve the role of spas.
Hammams are a regular attraction at spas in the middle East. The Akaru Spa in Garhourd, Dubai has 14 treatment rooms, a sauna, a pure oxygen capsule and a hammam, and it offers a wide range of treatments. Also, in Garhoud, Dubai, the Amara Spa offers a pool, eight luxury pavillion spa suites with living areas and terraces, a hammam, and an aromatic steam shower.
