Hammams and the contemporary city
The case of Isfahan, Iran
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5700655 |
|---|---|
| Authors | João Sarmento (0000-0003-0861-7454, University of Minho, corresponding author), Zahra Kazemi (University of Minho) |
| Year | 2014 |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 138-156 |
| Publication date | 2014-02-17 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Heritage Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1352-7258 • E-ISSN: 1470-3610 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/13527258.2012.736873 |
| OpenAlex | W2060242108 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 20 |
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
Ancient history · Archaeology · Civil engineering · Documentation · Ethnology · Geography · Islam · Ottoman empire · Political science · Politics · Social life · Tourism · Urban planning · Architecture and Cultural Influences · Engineering · Historical and Architectural Studies · History · Islamic Studies and History · Law · Architecture
Industrial Ruins
Politics of Culture in Iran
Autocratic Control and Urban Design
Religion and place attachment
The Ulema and the Nationalization of Religious Morality in Iran, 1925–63
Foucault au hammam
Continuity and change in Turkish bathing culture in Istanbul
The Safavids under Western Eyes
The women's quarters in the historical hammam
Displaying the Orient
Communitarian Neighborhoods and Religious Minorities in Iran
Urban Change in Iran, 1920–1941
Recultivating “Good Taste”
The Royal Bazaar of Isfahan
The Middle East
The Long Fall of the Safavid Dynasty
The Nature and Function of Water, Baths, Bathing and Hygiene from Antiquity through the Renaissance
Imperial Debris
| Citations per year | 0.5 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2022 - 2025 (4) |
| Highly cited | No |