CyArk
Bathhouses are as old as time, but only one has kept its doors open for business for over 1000 years. Commissioned by the governor of the Zangid Dynasty, the Hammam of Nur al din in Damascus is the oldest active hammam, open to the public since the 12th century.
The Hamman can be found right in the heart of Damascus’ Old Quarter, south of the Umayyad Mosque. Its style and architecture are known as one the best-preserved examples of a classic Arab bathhouse.
Hammams were once filled with so many visitors that they needed a large number of staff and they were the first to receive water from the city water supply.
Some of the rooms were dedicated to boilers where people employed as stokers would watch the furnaces. Other rooms were dedicated to shops that faced out on the souk, the local Arab markets.
The Hamman features an eight-sided warm room between a cold room and a steam room, so that the hot and cold bathhouse experience is seamless.
The Nur al din in Damascus has a stunning domed room near the entrance of the building. It is a new addition to the site, added during the rule of the Ottoman Empire.
artsandculture.google.com