Hammams, or public baths, are an essential part of the social life in urban
Islam. Often, they have a rich and inspiring architecture. In Iran and, in particular,
in Isfahan – a large and historic city in central of Iran – numerous hammams
were built since the Safavid dynasty (1501–1722). Social and urban
changes have resulted in a significant decline in the number of hammams over
the years. This paper starts by describing the multiple dimensions of hammams,
such as their main architecture features, their role in health, society and culture.
This is followed by an analysis of hammams in Isfahan, using a modified version
of Büyükdigan categories for Ottoman baths: (i) ‘baths in ruins’; (ii) ‘baths
continuing their original functions’; and (iii) ‘baths readjusted for new uses’.
Anecdotal evidence from a survey conducted in 15 hammams is used throughout
this paper. The main conclusions relate to the rapid deterioration of hammams
in daily life, coupled with the lack of detailed documentation, which would
allow proper planning and development, and the deficient use of some of these
magnificent buildings and places for tourism development.