From an Ottoman endowment to a living Istanbul ritual.
Çemberlitaş Hamamı was endowed by Nurbanu Sultan, wife of Sultan Selim II and mother of Sultan Murad III, to generate revenue for the Valide-i Atik Complex in Üsküdar. Listed in Tuhfet'ül-mi'marin as a work of Mimar Sinan, the bath was completed in 992/1584 according to its inscription.
Historical periods of Çemberlitaş Hamamı
Nurbanu Sultan's endowment, the architectural language of Mimar Sinan and the memory of Divanyolu.
The older layer of Çemberlitaş
The bath stands near the Column of Constantine, on the Vezir Han side of Divanyolu, within one of Istanbul's densest historical routes.
The endowment of Nurbanu Sultan
The building was commissioned and endowed by Nurbanu Sultan to provide income for the Valide-i Atik Complex in Üsküdar.
A restrained architecture of mastery
Known through Tuhfet'ül-mi'marin as a work attributed to Mimar Sinan, the hamam combines functional richness with a clear and balanced architectural order.
A focus for visitors and researchers
Its architectural character and living bath culture continue to attract travellers, students, photographers, film crews and researchers.
Inside the memory of Divanyolu.
Inside the memory of Divanyolu.
The hamam is located on Divanyolu in Çemberlitaş, close to Köprülü Mehmed Paşa Mosque, the madrasa and tomb, Vezir Han, the former Darülfünun building, Sultan Mahmud II Tomb, Köprülü Library, Atik Ali Paşa Mosque and Ali Baba Tomb.
Two matching sections side by side.
Çemberlitaş Hamamı was planned as a double hamam with two adjacent parts. The men's entrance is on Vezir Hanı Caddesi; as the street level rose over time, the entrance is now reached by descending steps.
Large domes in the changing halls, a twelve-sided centre in the hot room.
The changing halls in both sections are covered by large domes carried through corner squinches, with three tiers of changing galleries around them. The lanterns in the domes shape the calm interior light.
From a square shell to a twelve-sided marble centre.
In the hot room, a square exterior volume is transformed inside by a ring of twelve columns. Domed private bathing chambers (halvet) sit in the corners, four side bathing bays occupy the sides, and a central heated marble platform (göbek taşı) anchors the centre.
38 kurnas and carved marble lattice screens
The hot room brings together 38 marble water basins (kurna), columns with diamond-pattern capitals, carved marble lattice screens and the central multi-sided heated marble platform (göbek taşı).
Function, elegance and quiet order
Among the late Ottoman bath examples associated with Mimar Sinan, the building is valued for combining practical richness with architectural restraint.
A traditional bath inside a historic setting
Visitors still experience the central heated marble platform (göbek taşı), hot room (sıcaklık), marble water basin (kurna), exfoliation with a traditional rough kese mitt and warm soap-foam wash inside a historic Ottoman hamam.