Almost 500 years after Mimar Sinan, the grand architect of the Ottoman empire shaped the visual identity of the region, one of his private commissions, a hammam in Istanbul, has reopened as a multi-purpose arts and wellness destination. “In the 1530s, the Çinili Hamam was built for Barbarossa, the admiral of the Ottoman navy,” Koza Yazgan, the project's creative director tells AD. It draws its name from the Turkish phrase for a tiled house, but you wouldn't see any of the intact Iznik tiles on site today: In the 18th century they were removed and sold in Europe to private collectors and museums.
“Hamams used to be spaces for gathering and socialising,” she continues. “They had this sense of community and belonging, but they're not like that anymore. They're mostly touristic spaces. We’re trying to recreate that sense of community, through arts and culture.”
Maude%2520Maris%2C%2520Antique%2C%25202016%2C%2520exhibited%2520as%2520part%2520of%2520Healing%2520Ruins%2520(Kal%25C4%25B1nt%25C4%25B1lar%25C4%25B1n%2520S%25CC%25A7ifas%25C4%25B1)%2520at%2520Zeyrek%2520C%25CC%25A7inili%2520Hamam.%2520Photograph%2C%2520Hadiye%2520Cango%25CC%2588kc%25CC%25A7e.jpg)
The road to revive Çinili Hamam – a forgotten jewel of Istanbul’s UNESCO World Heritage listed Zeyrek district – has been long and challenging. When the building was acquired in 2010 by Turkish luxury lifestyle consortium, Marmara Group, it was still operational, but in an incredible state of disrepair and neglect.
Unveiled during the ongoing biennial in the Turkish capital , the 3000 square-meter complex features a raft of exhibition spaces, as well as a beautiful rooftop garden; but it is in how it has stayed true to its original intent – today, this hammam in Istanbul also hosts separate cold, warm and hot rooms for both men and women – that its new custodians, KA-BA Architecture's empathetic approach shines through.
The original intention was simply to restore the bathhouse and run it under the Marmara Group as a luxury venue, similar to the approach with their previous restoration project at the 19th century Esma Sultan palace. However, the scope of work necessary to achieve this goal proved to be much more comprehensive, prompting a pivot towards a major cultural mission. It was apparent that this was no ordinary undertaking.
“It took four years just to buy all the surrounding buildings,” explains Projects Director Yavuz Suyolcu, who led the restoration effort. “The walls were full of cracks and this is a hill; if they demolished the buildings, sliding will occur. So, you have to buy the surrounding properties to make healthy repairs. We also made a support structure underneath the bath and installed the latest technology in such a way that, when things need updating… say in a hundred years… they will be able to implement new tech without touching anything.”
As work continued, the excavations also uncovered many original and forgotten features. These ranged from an original Byzantine cistern discovered below the hamam and hundreds of beautiful blue Iznik tile fragments, to 18th and 19th century murals that once covered the hamam’s walls – hidden beneath layers of plaster – and the remains of the coloured marble floor that had been all but removed by the previous owners. “They excavated [the floor], trying to find something here; I suppose, because it's Barbarossa's bath, maybe they tried to find his treasures,” jokes Suyolcu. “But, on the floors, we have these bits of original colouring, so we kept all the originals in their place. We have merely changed the function of some of the areas, but you can still see and feel the original architectural bones of the building."
A 13-year-long design and preservation journey unearthed artifacts from the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman eras; new architectural elements needed to be integrated into the domed chambers and narrow passageways in such a way that the building's pedigree was honoured, not erased. A brand new on-site museum was installed to tell the story of this mammoth undertaking. Visitors can view the ancient artefacts and learn about the rich history – and ingenuity – of Turkey's bathing culture. Alongside a slew of fascinating objects associated with the hammam rituals, from traditional towels, tools and bowls to wooden shoes decorated with precious metals and mother-of-pearl, a 360-degree virtual tour offers glimpses of the Hammam in its 16th-century glory.
Sculptures%2520by%2520Daniel%2520Silver%2C%2520exhibited%2520as%2520part%2520of%2520Healing%2520Ruins%2520(Kal%25C4%25B1nt%25C4%25B1lar%25C4%25B1n%2520S%25CC%25A7ifas%25C4%25B1)%2520at%2520Zeyrek%2520C%25CC%25A7inili%2520Hamam.%2520Photograph%2C%2520Hadiye%2520Cango%25CC%2588kc%25CC%25A7e.jpg)
Whilst the the reclaimed Byzantine cisterns will serve as show floors for a series of rotating exhibitions, the inaugural showcase, titled Healing Ruins – curated by the acclaimed art consultant Anlam de Coster – and featuring both new commissions and historic artefacts is presented in the heart of the hammam itself. “The act of repairing these ruins – peeling off the layers – changed our perception of this hamam,” says the curator. “If we hadn’t been through this arduous process, it would just have been an impressive ruin. We wouldn't have learned about the secrets of the hamam, from its Byzantine heritage to its architectural marvels."
Panos%2520Tsagaris%2C%2520Always%2520in%2520motion%2C%2520always%2520unchangeable%2C%2520like%2520the%2520rain%2520drops%2520under%2520Your%2520eyes%2C%25202023%2C%2520exhibited%2520as%2520part%2520of%2520Healing%2520Ruins%2520(Kal%25C4%25B1nt%25C4%25B1lar%25C4%25B1n%2520S%25CC%25A7ifas%25C4%25B1)%2520at%2520Zeyrek%2520C%25CC%25A7inili%2520Hamam.%2520Photograph%2C%2520Hadiye%2520Cango%25CC%2588kc%25CC%25A7e.jpeg)
Now, as the Çinili Hamam opens once again as a place of physical and spiritual healing, the exhibition (running from 30th September until the 5th November) pays tribute to its glorious past. In March 2024 the baths will be reheated and returned to the public.
Mehtap%2520Baydu%2C%2520The%2520Distance%2520Between%2520Me%2520And%2520Everything%2520Else%2C%25202017%2C%2520exhibited%2520as%2520part%2520of%2520Healing%2520Ruins%2520(Kal%25C4%25B1nt%25C4%25B1lar%25C4%25B1n%2520S%25CC%25A7ifas%25C4%25B1)%2520at%2520Zeyrek%2520C%25CC%25A7inili%2520Hamam.%2520Photograph%2C%2520Hadiye%2520Cango%25CC%2588kc%25CC%25A7e.jpg)
