Hammams and the contemporary city: the case of Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Hammams, or public baths, are an essential part of the social life in urban Islam. Often, they have a rich and inspiring architecture. In Iran and, in particular, in Isfahan – a large and historic city in central of Iran – numerous hammams were built since the Safavid dynasty (1501–1722). Social and urban changes have resulted in a significant decline in the number of hammams over the years. This paper starts by describing the multiple dimensions of hammams, such as their main architecture features, their role in health, society and culture. This is followed by an analysis of hammams in Isfahan, using a modified version of Büyükdigan categories for Ottoman baths: (i) ‘baths in ruins’; (ii) ‘baths continuing their original functions’; and (iii) ‘baths readjusted for new uses’. Anecdotal evidence from a survey conducted in 15 hammams is used throughout this paper. The main conclusions relate to the rapid deterioration of hammams in daily life, coupled with the lack of detailed documentation, which would allow proper planning and development, and the deficient use of some of these magnificent buildings and places for tourism development.

Keywords:

• hammams
• ruins
• new functions
• Isfahan
• Iran

Notes

1. The ICHHTO is a governmental body aiming to protect, introduce, preserve and restore the country’s historic-cultural legacy as well as to promote the tourism industry.

2. While some would argue, he largely disregarded religion (Fazeli 2006), this issue is rather complex, and the Pahlavi state helped to form a national religious morality, especially through education and in many instances acted almost in total contrast to their Turkish counterparts (for a further discussion, see Moazami 2008).

3. Afiyat hammam, now Ferdosi art gallery, is a twin bath used as a gallery for the exhibition of traditional art of Isfahan and as an art education place. Significantly, unlike in functioning Hammams, courses are for men and women simultaneously.

4. Sattari hammam is presently used by a computer and Internet service company.

5. Vakil hammam in Shiraz closed down as a restaurant as the kitchen was damaging the structure of the building. It opened later as a carpet museum.

6. Twenty-first March, on Noruz, or the New Year in the Persian calendar.

7. As part of the larger project ‘New Life for Older Structures’, this restoration was the recipient of an Aga Khan award for architecture in 1993.