Our First Hamam: The Kılıç Ali Paşa

It’s hard to imagine that we could have found a better place for our first Turkish bath than the Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı. This historic hamam in Tophane is one of Istanbul’s most beautiful, and has only recently reopened after years of restoration. We were invited to visit on a Sunday afternoon.

Contemporary Turkish hamams find themselves in a difficult position. For centuries, these public bath houses were an integral part of Ottoman life. Islam places great significance on cleanliness, and ham...