Turkish bath becomes a museum

GAZİANTEP – Anadolu Agency

Turkish baths, one of the best known features of Gaziantep, and their culture will be featured in a new museum opening soon in the southeastern province. The Paşa Bath, which was built in 1557 by Lala Mustafa Paşa, is being converted into a museum to show the culture of Turkish baths to visitors. 

Beeswax sculptures, in which all details, including body sweat, have been considered, will be placed in the museum as well as breechcloths, silver slippers, wood combs and various soaps. The museum will also have artifacts from the 19th and 20th centuries, such as Ottoman-era soaps and soap seals. 

Turkish bath culture will be digitally featured in the museum and visitors will also be able to see how green soap is made. They will also be gifted a small bar of green soap. 

Also, a special mechanism was organized in the museum to create a real Turkish bath environment. Steam will be produced around the museum to add to the atmosphere. 

Gaziantep Mayor Fatma Şahin said the baths were one of the most important characteristics of the city. She said Gaziantep was too rich in terms of Turkish baths, adding people in the city used to go to baths because old houses did not include them. 

“We turned the Paşa Bath into a museum to preserve this culture of the city. The museum has been created with the advantages of national and international studies and publications. The museum will feature the bath culture at all points,” she said.

She also added work was almost done and the museum would open in a few weeks.