BÜYÜK HAMAM

The «Grand Hammam» (Büyük Hamam) is the only Turkish bath in the Ottoman period still active in the northern part of the country. Renovated in 2008, it welcomes men and women alternately in the morning (local and tourist), and together the afternoon (mostly tourists). Attention, some days, the hammam is privatized by the American University of Cyprus.

History. The entrance located 2 m below the level of the road shows the seniority of the place. It is in fact the former Roman Catholic Church of the Latins, erected at the beginning of the xive next to Palsignan Palace (now disappeared). The church was rebuilt and transformed into a Turkish bath between 1571 and 1590, shortly after the Ottoman conquest. Some elements of the church remain, such as the entrance door with its sculpted gothic decor.

Today. The hammam is divided into three parts: the soyunmalık (dressing room and rest room), the ililıklık (warm room) and sıcaklık (hot room). The latter houses the care and massage areas. It is dominated by a dome, typical of Ottoman hammams, pierced with openings leaving daylight. Soymalmalık holds windows from the franque period. There are lockers, divans along the walls and the hot water tank in the center.