Excavations carried out during the restoration of Zeyrek Çinili Hamam have revealed thousands of tile fragments and archaeological artifacts, all surprising findings. Thus, was born the Zeyrek Çinili Hamam Museum, as a result of the desire to share the fifteen-century-old cultural heritage of the district together with the hammam. Featuring a contemporary design complementing the architecture of the hammam, artifacts and objects in the museum’s collection date back to the 5th century and can be traced step by step until the 20th century.
In the museum, there are digital panels illustrating how water reaches the hammam and its journey inside. The museum features digital panels illustrating how water reached the bathhouse and its journey within. Closely connected to the historic Kırkçeşme Water Supply System, situated atop a Byzantine cistern, and showcasing its preserved original features through meticulous restoration efforts, Zeyrek Çinili Hamam stands as a remarkable example of a multi-layered water heritage site and an inspiring cultural monument for future generations.
HAMMAM’S ARCHAEOLOGY
The excavations at the Zeyrek Çinili Hamam have revealed surprising discoveries that align with the city's multi-layered structure. One of the key findings is the cistern located beneath the cold rooms of the hammam, which has multiple ship graffiti on its walls. The cistern, which provided water to the hammam and was used as a substructure, is open to visitors free of charge. Artifacts found during the excavations follow an uninterrupted chronology extending from the early Byzantine period to the modern Republic of Türkiye. These artifacts consist of glazed and unglazed terracotta vessels, oil lamps, glass bottles, coins, metal artifacts from the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods in line with the chronology of Istanbul and around three thousand tile fragments.
LEARNING PROGRAM
Zeyrek Çinili Hamam Museum is launching a comprehensive Learning Program aimed at sharing knowledge and research findings related to the bathhouse with the public. The program will be developed in two distinct tracks for children and adults, with the goal of fostering social benefit and establishing Zeyrek Çinili Hamam as a center for knowledge and exchange.
The first phase of the program begins with engaging and educational workshops for children aged 7-12. Through these workshops, children will have the opportunity to explore the rich architectural and cultural heritage of Zeyrek Çinili Hamam while creating imaginative projects inspired by its history.
For more information about the workshops, you can visit the events section on our website or follow us on social media.
TILE GALLERY
The Tile Gallery transports you on a journey of discovery of the splendid 16th-century blue and white Iznik tiles exclusively manufactured for the hammam. The gallery hosts a selection from around three thousand fragments of 16th-century tiles manufactured exclusively for Çinili Hamam in Iznik and recovered during the excavations, the discovery story of the tiles starting from production until their arrival in museums around the world, 37 tile patterns reconstructed after extensive research, and a digital board showing tile sequences representing the layout of the tiles at the time of the hammam’s construction. The small display of artifacts exploring the relationship of tile art with Ottoman pottery-making and the restoration tools display add another dimension to the narrative of the gallery.
HAMMAM CULTURE GALLERY
The Hammam Culture Gallery explores various aspects of the hammam, which was an indispensable part of Ottomans’ daily life until the 19th century. The nalıns and hammam objects donated to the museum are accompanied by information on hammam culture and people as well as historical depictions of hammam. The hammamiye tiles, found in their non-original place before the restoration and displayed here are some of the most significant items in the collection. The archaeological finds shown in this gallery shed light on the social and cultural aspects of the hammam.
GUIDED MUSEUM TOURS
Guided museum tours with the museum team are held every Wednesday at 11:00 for English-speaking guests and at 16:00 for Turkish-speaking guests.
The tour lasts approximately one hour and is limited to 15 participants.
Zeyrek Çinili Hamam Museum is open for free visits every Thursday. Offering an opportunity to explore the discovery-filled restoration process and delve into the Ottoman bath culture, the Zeyrek Çinili Hamam Museum welcomes everyone eager to experience traces of the past up close.