What is a Hammam or Turkish Bath?

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History has left us as a gift the most beautiful things that we interpret today or we want to reproduce exactly. Nowadays, well-being is a real concern and moments of relaxation are long awaited. Discover a multisensory experience with deep roots in the history of the pleasure of the senses! The hamam or Turkish bath is an ancient ritual characteristic of the culture of the Muslim world. It is dedicated to deep cleansing of the skin, having the extraordinary ability to purify the body, both inside and outside. The Turkish bath is like a story that takes you through various rooms and challenges all your senses, finally changing your perception of what it means to cleanse your body and deep relaxation. Find out in this article what hamam represents and what incredible benefits it brings to the body!

What is the hamam?

The Turkish baths had an impressive architecture both outside and inside. The Turkish bath model was based on the influence of Roman baths and took over many elements from the culture of Greek baths. Hamam is a steam bath that results in deep cleansing of the body and elimination of toxins. The purpose of the ritual is to go through various rooms with different temperatures, to produce perspiration of the body. Although there were architectural differences from one area to another, the principle remained the same. The hamam is composed of a succession of chambers. Corresponding to the Roman apodyterium, the first room was the one where people could change. In this locker room each person received a fishnet, a cotton or silk material to cover them, and wooden slippers to protect their soles from the warm floor. The cold room was known as the soğukluk. Due to the temperature differences found in the hammam, a transition chamber, hot chamber or ılıklık was required. The main room and the most representative of the Turkish bath was called Hararet, where the temperature was very high. The furnaces produced hot water and steam, and the hot air was induced through the pipes under the floor.

The architecture of all the rooms was perfect. The warm and warm rooms had walls and ceilings covered with marble, to ensure resistance to high temperatures and special aesthetics. In addition to the luxurious look that Turkish baths inspire, they were designed to induce a state of deep relaxation, without the steam creating discomfort. The steam chambers had domed holes with small holes to penetrate natural light and to control excess steam. At the end there is an employee who deals with massaging clients, called tellak. He performed the actual bathing ritual on a large marble-covered table. The tools used by tellak, not absent from the ritual, were bathing gloves, for exfoliation, and pestles. The bath is performed with black soap, which has beneficial properties for the skin, and with plenty of water. Massage involves a specific technique with variations in intensity and is followed by an exfoliation of the body and absolute pampering with foam. Today, many elements of the ancient ritual have been preserved. At ANA Wellness & SPA we took over the Turkish bath model and we wanted to pay attention to every detail to outline a space dedicated to deep relaxation.

Types of hammam at ANA Wellness & SPA

Discover the true feeling of well-being and pamper yourself in the space dedicated to the hamam ritual, taking advantage of the warm temperature and humidity that surrounds you in a state of divine relaxation. In parallel, you can benefit from a wet sauna, a dry sauna and a Frigidarium, which stimulates your circulation, detoxifies your body and calms your mind. At ANA Wellness & SPA you can opt for the Turkish or Moroccan hammock ritual. The room is clad in marble and has a massage table called göbektaş in the center. Warm steam induces a state of deep relaxation and eliminates toxins, leaving the skin to breathe. Turkish hammam ritual represents a beloved soap and foam experience with old roots in the Golden Age of Pampering - the Ottoman Empire. It starts on the heated table with a kessa glove exfoliation and a Tea du Nepal scrub. The therapist will then wash your hair gently and cover your body with a velvety foam and massage movements that will both cleanse and purify your skin. The promise of the Turkish Hammam? It will 'Turkish delight' you with a sense of lightness and relaxation.

Moroccan hamam is an oriental-inspired ritual that exfoliates and cleanses the body with the help of a detoxifying mask and a black soap massage. Finally, a tea-based elixir is sprayed all over the body for energy and freshness. If you want to eliminate stress and daily problems, this relaxation ritual has no comparison. You will enjoy the countless benefits of this procedure and you will feel the rebirth of body and mind. Not only is your skin cleansed in the most effective way, but you benefit from a complete detoxification of the body and the strengthening of immunity. Among the benefits of hamam are: improved breathing, elimination of stress, removal of bacteria, skin regeneration, elimination of dead cells and toning the body. Hamam is indicated for various ailments: muscle pain, insomnia, disorders of blood circulation, low immunity or diseases of the musculoskeletal system.