Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Search in posts
Search in pages

Yahudi Hamam

Yahudi Hamam is one of the four Turkish baths of Thessaloniki.

  1. Modern and Contemporary era (1912 - )


  2. Ottoman era (1453- 1912)


    It dates back to the early 16th or the 17th century and was in use until 1912.

  3. Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)


  4. Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)


  5. Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)


  6. Classical era (478-323 BC)


  7. Archaic era (800-479 BC)


  8. Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)


  9. Prehistory (-1100 BC)


What I can see

This is a relatively large Ottoman bath, covering an area of approximately 750 square metres, and is one of the four Turkish baths of Thessaloniki. Nowadays, it is known to Thessalonians as “Louloudadika” (=flower shops) because in the last 60 years, flower shops have clustered around it. It is located in the commercial centre of the city, in a lively area full of small shops, taverns and cafes, close to the covered Modiano market. The masonry of the monument is of particular interest as it has been meticulously created. It features jewellery and mimics the Byzantine cloisonne building system (rectangular processed stones framed by thin red bricks). The bath is covered by two large domes and several smaller ones with many lighting holes. In recent years, the Ministry of Culture carried out the restoration and elevation work of the monument and the surroundings. Nowadays, it is used for exhibitions and events.

What I can't see

In the Ottoman period, many of the Empire’s cities were adorned with baths, as cleanliness is very important in Islam. Water and bathing procedures symbolized atonement from sins and purification of the soul. This monument is found with many names in Turkish documents: Pazar-Ikebirhamami (large market’s bath), Kadinlarhamami (women’s bath), Yahudihamami (Jewish bath). The last name is the most famous one, since the area around the bath was inhabited by Jews. Its names were “various” depending on its use and significance for the area. According to Evliya Celebi, a 17th century Turkish traveller, the bath was founded by a Halil Aga. The interior is typical of baths, (i.e. tripartite arrangement of spaces into cold, warm, hot) and it was also “twin”-featured (i.e. for men and women, with the men’s being larger and taller). Lastly, under the floors, there was hot-air circulation which heated the space as well as the large water tank, which supplied water into the bath. The rich stucco decorations inside are of great interest.

Info

  • Address: Vassileos Irakliou & Fragini St.

Bibliography

Kourkoutidou- Nikolaidou E., Tourta A., (1997), Περίπατοι στη Βυζαντινή Θεσσαλονίκη, [Walks in the Byzantine Thessaloniki], Athens: Kapon publications

Ζafeiris Ch., (2014), Θεσσαλονίκη, η παρουσία των απόντων, η κληρονομιά Ρωμαίων, Μουσουλμάνων, Εβραίων, Ντονμέδων, Φράγκων, Αρμενίων και Σλάβων, [Thessaloniki, the presense of the absent, the heritage of Romans, Muslims, Jews, Doenme, Franks, Armenians and Slavs], Thessaloniki: Epikentro

Τzimou Κ., (d.u.), Νύχτα μέρα στο Γιαχουντί Χαμάμ, [Day and night at Yahoudi Hamam], Parallaxi,

http://www.parallaximag.gr/thessaloniki/o-hartis-tis-polis-nyhta-mera-sto-giahoynti-hamam

Last visit 21/3/2014