The Turkish have an enduring and world-famous bathing tradition.
A combination of Eastern Roman, Islamic Persian and Turkic cultures contributed to the formation of what we now call Turkish Baths (Hammam). As Hammam spread throughout the Ottoman Empire it also gained traction and popularity in Western Europe, most notably in Victorian Britain, where over 600 baths opened up and down the nation over a 150 year period.
"The concept was predicated on having places of extreme cleanliness, were purifying the body went hand-in-hand with purifying the soul. Popularized around 600 AD, hammams were also spaces where major life events were celebrated, and bathing rituals were incorporated into weddings and births"
We think it somewhat poetic that the first public Turkish bath to be opened in the UK was in Manchester, the city from which BAVE originates.
