Turkish Hammam on Chalidon

The Turkish Hammam on Chalidon street is one of the many public and private baths (hammam) built during the Ottoman occupation, in Chania. In the Ottoman Empire, the body’s hygiene was closely connected with worship and reflection. According to the Koran, only the running water purifies and for this purpose, the Ottomans used the public baths (Hammam), disseminating this tradition throughout their territory.

The Turkish Hammam on Chalidon 35 was built near the location of a Roman bath with mosaic floors. It is a building with many small domes on its roof.

The Turkish Hammam on Chalidon had also a second floor surrounded by a portico that was demolished in 1941. It was built on the site of the Venetian monastery of St. Clara, opposite from the Monastery of St. Francis which now houses the Archaeological Museum of Chania.

The Turkish Hammam on Chalidon today has been transformed into a clothing store and maintains in its interior the great architecture with the niches and arches that are formed by the domes.