BATH TECHNOLOGY IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY CORUM HOUSES


Tuluk O. I.

METU JOURNAL OF THE FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE, vol.27, no.2, pp.61-82, 2010 (AHCI) identifier identifier

Abstract

It is known that in the Ottoman times, especially starting from the second half of the 14th century and in the 15th century, a large of number of public baths was constructed in city centres especially around the bazaars, known as carsi hamami; settlements acting as naval bases on the other hand, were organized to have public (collective) baths to be used by the members of the navy before and after operations and field work. On the private sphere, small-scale private baths were constructed inside mansion houses and seaside residences in the metropolitan areas while, in the country, baths were observed built apart from the main building in the proprietor's residences. Inside the smaller houses, however, the act of bathing was performed usually inside the built-in closets, designed especially for this purpose, called as "gusulhane" (bathing cubicle). Some 20th century examples of these "gusulhane" settings encountered inside some Corum residences and houses, which display a simple but significantly functional architectural arrangement, indicate the existence of an extraordinary water heating system relating with the heating system of the room and the house.