Kilic Ali Pasa Hamami, Istanbul – A Spa Review By Punam Mohandas
The Kilic Ali Pasa Hamami is one of the oldest hamamis in Istanbul and takes its name from Kilic Ali Pasa, one of the greatest admirals of the Ottoman empire. The edifice itself dates back to the 16th century (it was constructed between 1578-1583) and was initially used as a hamami for the Ottoman soldiers. The complex also housed a madrassa (school) and mosque; the mosque is still in use for prayers in present times.
The Kilic Ali Pasa Hamami is also among the best-known and therefore busiest hamamis in the city and re-opened in 2012 after seven years of extensive renovation. It is important to note that the same building is used by both men and women albeit with different timings; women can use the hamami between 8.15-am-4pm and men from 4.45-11.30pm.
Turkish hamamis are almost entirely done up in marble. On a chilly winter afternoon, I enter the main hall (camegah) to be visually entranced by an impressively large dome with delicate arches below it. Done up in plain red brick without paintings or murals to distract the attention, the very plainness of the brickwork makes the dome look all the more imposing. Apparently, as the genial and very welcoming manageress Nilufer explained to me, in yesteryears the hamami had three floors however, after the renovations, only the ground and immediate upper level have been retained, which gives the dome its great height and look of grandeur.
The camegah has chairs scattered around, where guests are first welcomed by traditional sherbets (drinks) made from seasonal fruits or berries. On a raised platform around the camegah are settees where one can relax after the hamam experience and, at any given time, one will find women wearing nothing but towels lolling around leisurely in open view 🙂
After I finished my sherbet, I went to one of the dressing rooms on the upper level. The changing cubicle is a rather small, confined space and has several lockers, which makes it quite cramped when there are two or three women changing at the same time, as I found! However, at least each locker has its own individual key, so your belongings are quite safe.
Dressed now in nothing but a simple cotton wrap (pestamal) and a disposable thong, I descend to the camegah and walk across to the hot room. Each lady guest is assigned a dedicated attendant (natir; tellak for men) who will be with her throughout the ritual. My natir is a lovely, smiling Turkish lady called Aileen, who escorts me to a marble basin and ledge, where she sluices me down with warm water using the traditional metal bowl (masrapa.) She then leads me to a large, heated hexagonal marble slab (gobektasi) where she leaves me with a glass of cold water and asks me to lie down for 10-15 minutes…this is to relax me, quieten my mind, as also soften my skin and let it adjust it to the heat gradually. There are lots of women lying down on the gobektasi while all around us, other women are getting scrubbed and bathed by their attendants by the surrounding marble basins (kurnas) placed in niches….everyone except the attendants are nude and strangely, one stops feeling self-conscious quite quickly. It’s noisy and cheerful, with the babble of dozens of women talking all at once and there’s no time to feel shy as nobody is staring or paying special attention to anyone, following hamam etiquette, while the natirs have seen all shapes and sizes before, so nothing shocks them! Even as I watch, the gobektasi is sloshed with water and cleaned of sweat frequently, maintaining the hygiene of the hamam.
The hamami also welcomes children aged between 1-5 for whom the hamam experience is free, while those between the ages of 6-12 have a nominal charge; any child must be accompanied by an adult. I saw a little girl whose eyes were round in wonder as she tried to catch the many soap bubbles; of course, children receive a much gentler scrubbing compared to adults.
Aileen is back to guide me to the kurna for my Turkish bathing ritual. She uses a softer scrubbing glove for my face and a thicker one called the kese, for the rest of my body. She scrubs me thoroughly, making sure the dry, dead skin has been exfoliated. After rinsing me down, she now comes to the final and most special part of the hamam ritual – the famed bubble soap wash or kopuk. This is essentially soapy water in which a thin muslin cloth is dipped, swayed in the air so that it balloons out and then Aileen runs her hands down it, thus wringing all the resultant soap bubbles on to my body. Once I’m covered with bubbles, she then uses a loofah (lif) to scrub me down again. She also uses shampoo and conditioner on my hair, giving me a nice head massage while she’s about it. I’m glad to have been assigned Aileen as my natir as she’s quite cheerful and matter-of-fact; when I dolefully gestured at my rolls of tummy fat, she grinned back and prodded her own comfortable belly!
After I’ve been thoroughly scrubbed and been washed behind my ears 🙂 Aileen guides me to another room where she wraps me in towels and then lets me back out into the camegah. Here, an attendant comes around with a tray of Turkish delight (locum) and I pick one. She also brings me a glass of refreshing, homemade, iced lemonade. There’s a menu available for teas, coffees and juices (on a chargeable basis.)
The Kilic Ali Pasa Hamami is more brisk and business-like compared to other hamamis in the city, firstly, because there’s a busy turnover due to its popularity and secondly, due to the fact that timings for both sexes are restricted. Another point I noted in its favour is that the natirs don’t hang around one in an obvious attempt at a tip which is so crass – once you’re escorted back to the camegah, they’re on and away to the next customer! If you’d like to leave a tip, do so at the Reception desk.
Apart from the traditional bathing ritual, the Kilic Ali Pasa Hamami also offers massage treatments such as deep tissue, sports massage and of course, full body massages, at extra payment. As mentioned, shampooing is part of the hamam ritual. Hair dryers, disposable thongs, body moisturiser, cotton buds and pads are provided. Your belongings are perfectly safe in the lockers although, if you so wish, you can also leave mobile phones and other valuables in the locker at the Reception desk. If you’d like to purchase any of the items, there is the Derya boutique beside the entrance, which also stocks souveniers.
The Kilic Ali Pasa Hamami is very centrally located. There are plenty of pubs and restaurants behind it, so that you can have a relaxing meal or drink after your treatment. The area is Tophane, which is a 20-minute walk if you happen to be shopping at Istiklal Street or Taksim. If that’s too long a walk for you, take the tram to Tophane – the hamami is just opposite the tram station. Alternatively, you can also take the ferry; get off at Karakoy port and walk roughly 6-7 minutes to reach the hamami.
Kilic Ali Pasa Hamami
Tel: +90 212 3938010
Fax: +90 212 3938001
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www. kilicalipasahamami.com
Price: 310 Turkish lira, inclusive of tax; 180 Turkish lira for children aged between 6-12 years. Credit cards accepted. Massage prices depend on type of treatment chosen.
Punam Mohandas asserts her right to be identified as the author of this work. Any views or opinions expressed in this review is that of the author.
