Istanbul's 500-year-old Zeyrek Çinili Hamam revives the city's rich history, offering a glimpse into its past.

After more than a decade of closure, the magnificent Zeyrek Çinili Hamam has reopened its doors. Situated in Istanbul’s Zeyrek neighborhood, near the historic Fatih district, this 16th-century bathhouse was designed by the famed Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who served the sultans, including Suleiman the Magnificent.

The name 'Çinili' translates to 'tiled' in Turkish, a nod to the bathhouse's most iconic feature – its once vibrant blue Iznik tiles that adorned its interior.

Serving as a hamam for centuries, the bathhouse also briefly operated as a saddlery and storage space in the late 1700s. By the time it closed in 2010, the building had fallen into disrepair, with its Iznik tiles nearly lost beneath layers of mold and neglect.

The hamam briefly reopened in 2022 for the Istanbul Biennial, and now it is set for a complete restoration, poised for a new chapter in its storied existence.

After 13 years of closure, Çinili Hamam will open its doors again on September 30, starting as an exhibition space, and from March 2024, it will resume its role as a public bath with separate areas for men and women.

Along with a complete restoration, the hamam will introduce a modern art gallery beneath the arches of its ancient Byzantine cistern, a new museum showcasing its rich history, and a lush urban garden. This marks the second major restoration project by The Marmara Group, who acquired the property in 2010.

Unearthing History

When we acquired the hamam, we had no knowledge of its history. But in Zeyrek, it seems like wherever you dig, there’s always a story to uncover,” says Koza Yazgan, the project’s creative director.

In the men's section, we discovered unusual rectangular tiles, unlike the typical hexagonal ones. These tiles, decorated with verses of a Farsi poem, had been displaced. After translating and researching the verses, we realized they had been moved from their original placement by Sinan,” Yazgan explains.

When the hamam was originally constructed, its walls were adorned with approximately 10,000 tiles. Sadly, only a few remain today – some were misplaced, others stolen, and some destroyed in fires and earthquakes over the years.

In the late 19th century, tiles from the hamam were sold to foreign museums. The Marmara Group has traced many of these tiles to private collections and museums across the world, including London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. Archaeologists and historians at the hamam worked with these institutions to identify the origins of their Iznik tiles.

As for the Farsi tiles, Yazgan continues, “We decided not to leave them in their original location but to display them in the museum for everyone to appreciate.”

Designed by the German firm Atelier Brüeckner – known for projects like the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the Louvre Abu Dhabi – the museum at Çinili Hamam will feature a fascinating collection of Roman, Ottoman, and Byzantine artifacts uncovered during restoration, ranging from coins to intriguing graffiti depicting foreign ships.

Visitors will also encounter an eclectic mix of objects once used by hamam-goers, including glistening mother-of-pearl clogs, known as nalin.

A whole floor of the museum will be dedicated to the stunning Iznik tiles of the hamam, with a highlight being a cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) experience that transports you back to the bathhouse during the era of Mimar Sinan, allowing visitors to witness the walls in their original turquoise-tiled splendor.

This remarkable digital recreation is an impressive effort to restore what has long been lost, and Yazgan sees it as essential. “Given how much the city has changed in the last two decades, it’s more crucial than ever to protect these historic landmarks. Otherwise, they will disappear,” she says.

A true beauty, both inside and out.

Though the area’s tiered timber houses originally emerged around the affluent 12th-century Pantokrator Monastery, which is now known as Zeyrek Mosque, today, Zeyrek is a working-class neighborhood.

The district’s life revolves around bustling spice and meat markets that spill into the streets, where the fragrant aroma of perde pilavı (a chicken, rice, and grape dish from eastern Turkey) fills the air from local restaurants.

While Zeyrek is part of Istanbul's UNESCO-listed area, it contrasts sharply with the nearby Ayasofya district, home to landmarks like Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace. Here, foreign tourists are a rare sight.

The streets of Zeyrek can be quite noisy, but the 30,000-square-foot hamam offers a tranquil retreat from the bustle of the city.

A kem göz (evil eye) charm hangs from the front door to ward off any negative spirits. Just like 500 years ago, the oak door is thick and solid, though it still carries the fresh scent of newly sawn wood.

Upon entering, visitors pass through three distinct rooms, typical of Turkish baths. The first is the 'cold' room (camekan), where guests undress and unwind. It’s a place for lounging on couches, admiring the architecture, and enjoying a cup of Turkish tea or coffee.

Next is the warm room, where the body acclimates to temperatures around 30°C (86°F). The final room is the hararet, the steam room, which reaches 50°C (122°F) and features a large flat marble slab.

'You lie on the göbek taşı – the ‘belly stone’ – and relax,' explains Yazgan. 'It’s a space for both physical and spiritual cleansing… a full hour away from the distractions of the world.' Attendants, robed in traditional garb, wash and massage guests while they lie on the stone.

Inside the Çinili Hamam, Ottoman craftsmanship blends seamlessly with minimalist design to create the perfect space for relaxation. Scandinavian-inspired wooden cabinets, lockers, and doorstops help maintain a modern feel without making the space feel too sterile.

The glass stars embedded in the domed ceilings – a hallmark of Ottoman bathhouse architecture – allow just the right amount of natural light to filter through, creating a soft, gentle glow. Original Ottoman features, like sections of brickwork, Sinan’s structural reinforcements, and the intricate Iznik tiles, are thoughtfully highlighted to engage the senses, without interrupting the serene ambiance.

Reviving the Past

While the bathing rooms remain dry for now, the Çinili Hamam will temporarily host a unique contemporary art exhibition, showcasing specially commissioned works centered around the themes of decay, history, and healing – three words that encapsulate the essence of the space.

After the exhibition concludes in March 2024, the baths will be filled with water once again and restored to their original purpose. Yazgan notes that the Zeyrek Çinili Hamam will closely follow traditional Ottoman bath customs.

Instead of modern spa treatments like Swedish massages and fragrant oils, the focus will return to hot, steamy rooms, chiropractic-style joint treatments, and bubble massages where thick clouds of lather are massaged into the skin.

However, Yazgan points out a modern twist that differentiates Çinili from Turkey's more traditional hamams.

'Typically, the men's section in a hamam is taller and more intricate, with elaborate muqarnas and decorative tiles. But here, we’ll rotate days for each section so that everyone can experience both sides,' Yazgan explains.

'A Snapshot of Istanbul'

Standing in the hamam’s newly restored, empty rooms, it’s hard to imagine them bustling with life. Walking into the garden, where only a sparse layer of greenery covers the butcher's shop displays of raw goat legs, it feels a bit out of sync with its surroundings.

However, the Marmara Group envisions that this newly revived hamam could dramatically change the character of the neighborhood, leveraging its hidden historic gems to transform Zeyrek into a cultural tourism hub.

'Even the local shopkeepers are wondering, ‘Should I sell soaps or peshtemals [traditional Ottoman towels]?’ We’re even considering creating a ‘Zeyrek map’ that will guide hamam visitors to other local attractions or historic dining spots,' says Yazgan.

There’s no shortage of things to explore: the Zeyrek Mosque, the imposing Roman Aqueduct of Valens, and the baroque Süleymaniye Mosque (Mimar Sinan’s crowning achievement) are all within a 15-minute walk.

While an influx of visitors could threaten the neighborhood with gentrification, the hamam has the potential to become part of Istanbul’s growing collection of cultural hotspots, offering a chance to experience the city’s rich cosmopolitan past through its time-honored rituals.

'With the museum, the relaxation experience, and its historical significance, [the hamam] is like a microcosm of Istanbul,' says Yazgan.

It’s set to be the only place in the city where you can learn something new, enjoy an AR experience, sip coffee, get undressed in public – and still leave feeling completely at ease.