This tile panel was originally located in the men’s hot room. The eight rectangular tiles are adorned with Persian couplets in nasta‘līq script from a poem highlighting the hamam's significance in Ottoman literary tradition. Poets such as Nâbî, Fuzulî, and Nedîm were all inspired by the vibrant social and aesthetic life of the hamam, creating hamamiye poems in praise of its beauty and charm..
Hidden away in the Zeyrek district of Fatih, this serene and pristine oasis stands in stark contrast to the surrounding bustle of Istanbul’s butchers, who come here to buy their meat.
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The Cold Room.
As is often the case with cultural heritage sites that have spanned nearly 500 years, fires and earthquake have taken their toll, not to mention light-fingered art dealers. Courtesy of the Parisian Ludovic Lupti one of the tiles at the Çinili (the Tiled baht) ended up in the Victoria & Albert Museum’s collection in London. The conservers in this spectacular restoration project faced many challenges.
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In spite of the heat, water and later modifications remarkable opus sectile floors have endured nearly five centuries and have now been meticulously documented, cleaned, reinforced,and restored, where possible, to their original locations. Missing sections were carefully supplemented with matching or similar marble to preserve the integrity of the design.
Construction began in 1540, but Barbarossa never witnessed its completion. The building was finished six years later under the direction of architect Mimar Sinan and is considered one of Sinan’s earliest works.
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The Hot Room.
After more than a decade of meticulous restoration, the hamam reopened in September 2023, now serve as a functioning Turkish bath and a museum complex. The hamam is particularly renowned for the striking blue-and-white Iznik tiles that adorn its walls, from which it takes its name. These tiles were custom-made for the space and covered the majority of its interior.
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Some of the many gorgeous architecture details.
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The Warm Room.
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An exhibtion tells the story of the transformation of the hamam over the centuries. A particular highlight is the Çini Hall, where over 3,000 tiles featuring 37 unique designs have been meticulously recovered.
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Other displays delve into the archaeology of bathing culture, showcasing items such as the nalın and takunya — traditional bath clogs.
These distinctive wooden shoes, with their hourglass shape, were often adorned with intricate ivory inlay. The quality of craftsmanship, attention to detail, and choice of materials indicated the wearer’s status and prestige.
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Unusually, the elegant domed rooftop.
Bathing rituals have long been a vital social tradition in Anatolia and beyond. Whether for the kına hamamı (bridal bath) or kırklama (a ceremonial washing of a newborn’s head with 40 bowls of water for good luck), hamams have consistently been at the heart of celebratory customs. Why not usher in 2025 with a revitalizing initiation bath at the iconic Zeyrek Çinili Hamam?
Treatments range from 3,816 TL to 10,902 TL. and can be booked through [the website](https://zeyrekcinilihamam.com/en).