The Last Hammams of Cairo: A Disappearing Bathhouse CultureIn the twelfth century, Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi affirmed that the Egyptian baths were "the most beautiful in the East, the most practical, and the best located." Nine centuries later, forgotten by the country's restoration campaign, Cairo's few remaining steam baths are drowning in general indifference. Places of relaxation and ritual, known for their therapeutic virtues, the last public baths are attempting to resist the evolution of tradition and real estate pressure. Curiously, the dilapidated state of the buildings, with their outstanding architecture, is full of charm: the decor is bright, flashy, and oriental, and the mixture of unusual objects creates a unique atmosphere. This book, with its exceptional color photographs and personal narrative, invites you into the intimacy of these bathhouses from another age before their definitive disappearance. |
Common terms and phrases
Ahmad Al-Arba hammam al-Ghazali al-Maqrizi Al-Talat hammam Arab artistic Ashraf Bab al-Bahr hammam Barudiya hammam basin bather baths of Cairo bayt al-awwal bayt al-harara bayt al-maʻallim beauty Beshtak hammam Bishri hammam body building Cairene clean clients colors cupola decorated depilated doors entrance establishment EVE GANDOSSI Fatimid female figurative art film former fountain gaze Géo GÉRARD DE NERVAL Grands Reportages hammamjis HAMMAMS OF CAIRO hands heat hookah hot room hygiene images Islamic Karima Khanqah khilwa Khushqadam hammam L'Espresso Little by little liwans maghtas Malatili Hammam Mamluk marble Margush hammam maslakh massage masseur Mihrab ministry of antiquities mosque naked neighborhood neighboring nudity oculi photographer prayer public bath Qur'an reception area reception room relaxation remains resting room restoration ritual sculpted soap social steam room Sultan Qalawun hammam Tambali hammam TELMISSANY tion Today towels transformed Umayyad Umm Kulthum Umm Zeinhom University of Ottawa voyeurism walls warm room women wooden