The ancient art of the hammam

Editor’s Note — Editor’s Note — CNN Travel’s series often carry sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile. However, CNN retains full editorial control over all of its reports. Read the policy. (CNN) — A place for cleansing and contemplation, for relaxation and conversation. Azerbaijan’s old hammam culture may have waned in recent years, but many of the city’s older residents recall with nostalgia the weekly ritual of visiting the city’s public baths. In the days of the shahs, the khans and even the Russian Empire, hammams in Azerbaijan were about much more than just getting clean. “People got together, chatted, discussed. It was a social institution where you would relax and, everything that had built up inside of you, you’d talk about it and share it,” says Kamil Ibragimov, head of the archaeological department in Baku’s Old City administration. Spiritual and physical needs Azerbaijani cities in the Middle Ages were separated into small neighborhoods known as mehelle and each one had its own hammam and mosque, catering to both the spiritual and physical needs of local Muslims. The hammam also played a key role in marriage. Long before the Soviets did away with religious conservatism, women’s hammams… Read full this story

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