What is a Hamam?

“One would say that one has not been washed yet before having taken a Turkish bath.” Helmuth von Moltke, 1838

A hamam [Arabic Hammam] is a traditional bath, which is based on a centuries-old tradition. The hamam bath (or turkish bath) has its origins in the Roman and Greek tradition of bathing. In contrast to this, you do not bath in a pool, but in a large, warm marbled room. The host collects warm and cold water -with a medium-sized bowl- which is filled in marbled niches.