Nostalgia: Old Baths and Houses of Gallipoli
You can’t talk about old Gallipoli (Gelibolu) without mentioning its hamams (Turkish baths) and its houses.
The old hamams and the bride’s bath
Hamam culture was very important in Gallipoli. Before the wedding, young women about to marry would hold a celebration with their friends known as the “Gelin Hamamı” (bride’s bath). After the bride and her friends had enjoyed themselves, they would kiss the hands of their elders. Meanwhile, mothers hoping to marry off their sons would get a close look at the unmarried young women and pick out a future daughter-in-law.
Saruca Paşa Hamamı (Paşa Hamamı)
A double hamam in the Karaman quarter, dating from the reign of Murad II. For its history and architecture, see our Saruca Paşa Hamamı page.
Şengül Hamamı
Gallipoli shipowner Mehmet Aksoy decided to restore the 579-year-old historic Şengül Hamamı to keep alive the memory of his late father, Yakup Aksoy, who had bought the bath years ago. Prof. Dr. Oğuz Ceylan of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University served as consultant for the restoration. Prof. Dr. Oğuz Ceylan described the bath’s importance in these words: “This hamam is one of the early Ottoman examples. It has a very significant wall technique and carries early Ottoman characteristics. This is a Seljuk tradition. It is a very important and original hamam.”
We are eagerly looking forward to seeing both of these beautiful baths completed as soon as possible.
The old houses
Be sure to take a stroll through Gallipoli one evening. You will hear the old houses along the streets calling out to you, “I have a story to tell.” These are old Gallipoli houses that have survived completely intact. The best area for a walk is the Karamanlar neighbourhood; find out more on our Gallipoli Houses page.
