Yeni Hammam/ Aegli
Today, only 1/3 of Yeni Hammam survives, i.e. the two chambers of the cold section.
Modern and Contemporary era (1912 - )
1912 Becomes public property and 25 years later was sold to an individual.
1917 Suffered damages due to fire.
Ottoman era (1453- 1912)
Constructed in the late 16th century.
Byzantine era (331 AC- 1453)
Roman era (30 BC- 330 AC)
Hellenistic era (322- 31 BC)
Classical era (478-323 BC)
Archaic era (800-479 BC)
Geometric era (-1100- 800 BC)
Prehistory (-1100 BC)
What I can see
At the north of the church of Agios Dimitrios is the Ottoman bath Yeni Hammam. It is the only Ottoman monument of the city, in which large stones are used for its construction and not the usual brick enclosed technique. Today, only 1/3 of the building survives, i.e. the two chambers of the cold section, which have been unified.
What I can't see
It was constructed, probably over a byzantine or roman bath, by Husrev Kedhuda, manager of the Grand Vizier Mehmed Pasha. It may have been built following the standards of Sinan, an important architect of the era. It is also likely to be part of the tribute of the Kasimie Mosque, namely the church of Agios Dimitrios. It was a double bath with separate areas for men and women. The baths were very popular in the Ottoman Empire because, as the Koran teaches, along with the cleaning of the body, the soul is cleansed and purified from sins. It is one of the few baths after the unification of the city with Greece which did not continue to operate as such. Instead, many interventions were made, especially on the western side. Initially, it was used as a warehouse and as a movie theatre (Aigli) until 1978. Today it hosts a tavern and the cultural space “Aegli” with significant cultural events.
Info
- Address: Kassandrou & Agiou Nikolaou St.
Bibliography
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
Kourkoutidou- Nikolaidou E., Tourta A., (1997), Περίπατοι στη Βυζαντινή Θεσσαλονίκη, [Walks in the Byzantine Thessaloniki], Athens: Kapon publications
Tsaktsira L, Papanthimou K., Mantziou G., Kalogirou N., (2014), Θεσσαλονίκη, η πόλη και τα μνημεία της, [Thessaloniki, the city and its monuments], Thessaloniki: Malliaris Pedia