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The Bathhouse of the Winds (Λουτρό των Αέρηδων) is the last surviving public Turkish bath in Athens, Greece.

Bathhouse of the Winds in Athens, Greece
Bathhouse of the Winds

 

History of the Bathhouse of the Winds

The Bathhouse of the Winds, also known as the Aerides Bath and Hamam of Abid Efendi, dates back to the early Ottoman period, between the 15th and 17th centuries. It was one of only three Ottoman public baths remaining in Athens in the late 19th century, and is the last of its kind today.

Originally, the Bathhouse of the Winds was a single bath operating for men and women at different hours of the day. During the 1870s, it was renovated to consist of two separate wings so it could operate for both sexes simultaneously.

Model of the building

The bathhouse consisted of three main spaces: the changing rooms, the warm rooms, and the hot rooms. Bathers would moved gradually from the cooler to the hotter rooms to avoid exposure to extreme temperature variations.

The Bathhouse of the Winds functioned until 1965. It was later restored, and since 1999, it has been a branch of the Museum of Modern Greek Culture. It’s “devoted to the theme of historical views of bodily cleanliness, care, and beautification”.


 

Visiting the Bathhouse of the Winds

The Bathhouse of the Winds is open daily except Tuesdays. General admission is €3, and upon presentation of a passport or valid travel document: all visitors up to the age of 5 and EU citizens from age 6-25 are admitted free of charge; and EU seniors over age 65 and non-EU citizens from age 6-25 are admitted for €2 (as of September 2024). It’s located in the Plaka neighborhood just east of the Roman Agora. Visit the official website for more info.

 

Women’s Section

A visit to the bathhouse starts in the women’s section. It contains changing rooms and functioned as a reception area, a waiting area before the bath, and a place to relax after the bath.

Women's section in the Bathhouse of the Winds in Athens, Greece
Women’s section
Women’s section
Upper floor of the women’s section

Some of the changing rooms are decorated with objects that would have been used by bathers. During my visit, one room contained items dedicated to the sewing industry, including an original Singer sewing machine made in 1925 and a woman’s blouse from the early 20th century.

Women's changing room in the Bathhouse of the Winds in Athens, Greece
Women’s changing room
Women’s changing room
Sewing exhibit

The women’s dressing room leads to the bathing sections. First is the small tepidarium (warm room) followed by the larger caldarium (hot room). A section of the floor in the caldarium has been opened to expose the heating elements from the furnace beneath the building.

Women's tepidarium (warm room) in the Bathhouse of the Winds in Athens, Greece
Women’s tepidarium (warm room)
Women's caldarium (hot room) in the Bathhouse of the Winds in Athens, Greece
Women’s caldarium (hot room)
Furnace under the women’s caldarium


 

Men’s Section

In the men’s section, the layout is similar. There are changing rooms and it had a similar function as the women’s section. A corridor leads to the toilets.

Men's section in the Bathhouse of the Winds in Athens, Greece
Men’s section
Upper floor of the men’s section
Men's changing room in the Bathhouse of the Winds in Athens, Greece
Men’s changing room
Toilet

After the toilets is the men’s tepidarium, which is notably larger than the women’s tepidarium. On display are a few artifacts related to bathing. They include a late 19th century hamam bowl depicting Hagia Sophia. As in the women’s caldarium, a section of the floor has been opened to expose the heating elements from the furnace beneath the building. A private men’s tepidarium sits next door.

Men's tepidarium in the Bathhouse of the Winds in Athens, Greece
Men’s tepidarium
Hamam bowl with a representation of Hagia Sophia, end of 19th century
Furnace under the men’s tepidarium
Private men’s tepidarium

The final room in the men’s section is the hot room. It’s much smaller than the women’s hot room. If you look up, you can see the skylights in the dome.

Men's caldarium in the Bathhouse of the Winds in Athens, Greece
Men’s caldarium
Skylights in the dome


 

Vryssaki Exhibit

During my visit, the upper floor of the Bathhouse of the Winds contained a temporary exhibit about Vryssaki. Vryssaki was the neighborhood that sat atop the site of ancient Agora of Athens. It consisted of one and two-storey Neoclassical houses, churches, shops, and squares.

Vryssaki exhibit

In the early 1930s, the entire neighborhood was expropriated to allow the American School of Classical Studies at Athens to excavate the Agora. Vryssaki has now been lost to history. Once the new Museum of Modern Greek Culture is complete, the exhibit will be permanently exhibited there.

Vryssaki exhibit
Vryssaki exhibit

 

Map of Plaka with the Bathhouse of the Winds

 

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Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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