A Hammam in the Early Ottoman Modernization Period: The Hammam of the Edirne Imperial Infantry Barracks

İsmet Osmanoğlu

Article Details

A Hammam in the Early Ottoman Modernization Period: The Hammam of the Edirne Imperial Infantry Barracks

Authors:

İsmet Osmanoğlu

Publisher:

Hitit University

Main Topics:

Mimari

Journal:

Hitit İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 1, pp.36-74

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001352687

pISSN:

2757-6949

Keywords:

Abstract:

 In Turkish-Islamic civilization, the cleanliness of the environment, clothing, and the body has held profound significance not only as a prerequisite for individual worship and religious practices but also as a vital factor in ensuring public health and environmental preservation. Hammams, constructed to maintain both personal and communal hygiene, have become indispensable elements of social life. Whether built as independent structures or integrated within public complexes, they have played an essential role in shaping urban landscapes. Over time, they developed a distinctive typology, emerging as principal architectural representations of water and hygiene technologies. This study focuses on the Imperial Infantry Barracks Hammam in Edirne, a notable example of this architectural type from the early 19th century. Based on archival documents and period sources, this research investigates the construction process, restoration history, and transformations over time of the hammam, built during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II. Through fieldwork, the architectural features and plan of the structure have been documented. A typological comparison with earlier Turkish hammams has been conducted, questioning the feasibility of proposing a reliable restitution plan. Despite the absence of dedicated studies on this particular hammam in the literature, a number of general overviews on the subject exist. However, the data and findings presented in this study are not found in the current body of work, thus constituting a unique contribution to the field. Sultan Mahmud IIs reformist efforts, particularly the modernization of the military, led to changes that were also reflected in military architecture, resulting in the construction of modern military complexes in cities such as Istanbul and Edirne. The research findings indicate that the Imperial Infantry Barracks complex in Edirne was constructed between 1826 and 1827 as one of the earliest tangible outcomes of this transformation. The barracks, as the main building of the complex, along with its attached mosque, represent some of the earliest structures reflecting the innovative efforts of Sultan Mahmud II. In contrast, the hammam, which commenced operations in 1827 as one of the ancillary buildings of the complex, continues to uphold the typological and spatial continuity of historical Turkish hammam architecture. Over time, the hammam has sustained extensive damage due to wear, fire, and the ravages of wars and occupations, necessitating several phases of restoration. Despite these challenges, the hammam remained operational without interruption until the onset of World War I. After the military designation was removed from the site in the early years of the Republic, the building ceased to function and, as a result of being left unused, gradually fell into partial ruin. The findings indicate that, in addition to serving military personnel, the hammam also operated as a public facility. Between 2019 and 2022, a series of observations, examinations, identifications, and documentation efforts were undertaken, culminating in the creation of a detailed plan reflecting the buildings current condition. The data analysis systematically evaluated various aspects of the building, including its spatial organization, surrounding context, features such as the furnace külhan, water reservoir and plumbing systems, construction techniques, materials, architectural elements, and ornamentation. Although the spatial integrity of the building has been largely preserved, it has been observed that parts of the roof and certain architectural elements have not survived to the present day. In addition to the damage in the walls, domes, and vaults located in various spaces, there are material and sectional losses throughout the structure. The schematic layout of the four-iwan and four halvet rooms within the hot room hararetsıcaklık section, along with the overall spatial organization of the structure, was compared to other similar historical Turkish hammams, as well as to Ottoman-period hammams in Edirne, emphasizing specific structural and typological similarities. Due to being partially damaged, the building requires restoration, adaptive reuse, and ongoing maintenance. Although constructed during the early Ottoman modernization period, the hot rooms four-iwan and four-corner halvet configuration is particularly significant for its adherence to a typological continuity that originated in the Anatolian Seljuk and Beylik periods and persisted in Ottoman-era hammams in Edirne. Moreover, despite serving a specific user group, the structure retains all the essential characteristics of a traditional public bath. Based on the analysis of archival documents, historical sources, and fieldwork data, the restitution proposals developed from these findings aim to provide a rigorous scholarly assessment of the buildings original spatial configuration and architectural form.

 Türk-İslam uygarlığında çevrenin, giysilerin ve bedenin temizliği, yalnızca bireysel ibadet ve pratiklerin bir ön koşulu değil, toplumsal sağlık ve çevrenin korunması açısından da büyük önem taşımıştır. Kişisel ve toplumsal hijyenin sağlanması amacıyla inşa edilen hamamlar, sosyal hayatın vazgeçilmez unsurlarından biri olmuştur. Tek başlarına veya kamusal yerleşkelerin ayrılmaz bir parçası olarak inşa edilen hamamlar, kentlerin şekillenmesinde de önemli bir rol oynamış; zamanla özgün bir tipoloji geliştirerek su ve hijyen teknolojisini temsil eden başlıca yapılar arasında yer almıştır. Çalışma, bu yapı tipinin 19. yüzyıl başlarındaki örneklerinden biri olan Edirne Piyâde Kışla-i Hümâyûnu Hamamını ele almaktadır. Arşiv belgeleri ve dönem kaynaklarından elde edilen verilere dayanılarak, II. Mahmud dönemine ait olan hamamın inşa süreci, geçirdiği onarımlar ve zaman içindeki değişimleri incelenmiştir. Saha çalışmasıyla hamamın mimari özellikleri ve plan şeması saptanmıştır. Kendisinden önceki Türk hamamlarıyla tipolojik yönden ilişkisi gözden geçirilerek, güvenilir bir restitüsyon planı önerisinin yapılabilirliği sorgulanmıştır. Literatürde, hamam üzerine müstakil bir çalışma bulunmamakla birlikte, bazı çalışmalar konuyla ilgili kısa ve genel bir çerçeve sunmuştur. Ancak, araştırma kapsamında elde edilen veriler ve ortaya konan bulgular mevcut literatürde yer almamakta, bu nedenle çalışma alana özgün bir katkı sağlamaktadır. II. Mahmudun modernleşme çabaları doğrultusunda orduyu dönüştürmesi, askerî mimariye de yansıyan bir değişime yol açmış; bu gelişme sonrasında İstanbul ve Edirne dâhil birçok kentte modern askerî yerleşkeler inşa edilmeye başlanmıştır. Araştırma bulguları, Edirne Piyâde Kışla-i Hümâyûnu yerleşkesinin, bu dönüşümün ilk somut ürünlerinden biri olarak 1826-1827 yıllarında inşa edildiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Yerleşkenin ana binası olan kışla, eki olan camiyle birlikte II. Mahmudun yenilikçi çabalarını yansıtan ilk yapılar arasında yer alır. Buna karşın, yerleşkenin ek yapılarından biri olarak 1827 yılında hizmet vermeye başlayan hamam, tarihsel Türk hamam mimarisinin tipolojik ve mekânsal devamlılığını sürdürmektedir. Hamam, zamana bağlı aşınmalar, hasarlar ve yangınların yanı sıra geçirdiği savaşlar ve işgaller gibi sebeplerle çok sayıda hasar almış; bu duruma bağlı olarak birden çok onarım geçirmek durumunda kalmıştır. Bununla birlikte, kullanıma açılmasından I. Dünya Savaşı yıllarına kadar kesintisiz olarak hizmet vermeyi sürdürmüştür. Cumhuriyetin ilk yıllarından itibaren, kışlanın bulunduğu sahanın askerî alan olmaktan çıkarılması sonrasında, yapı kullanım dışı kalmasının bir sonucu olarak kısmen harabeye dönüşmüştür. Bulgular, askerî personele hizmet vermesinin yanı sıra halka açık bir hamam olarak da kullanıldığını ortaya koymaktadır. 2019-2022 yılları arasında yapılan gözlem, inceleme, tespit ve belgeleme çalışmaları esnasında, binanın mevcut durumunun plan şeması çıkarılmıştır. Verilerin analizi sonucunda elde edilen bulgular; yapı ve çevre, mekân düzeni ve özellikleri, külhan, su deposu ve tesisat, yapım tekniği, malzeme ve mimari ögeler ile tezyinat yönünden sistematik biçimde sırayla değerlendirilmiştir. Yapının mekânsal bütünlüğü büyük oranda korunmuş olmakla birlikte üst örtüsü ve mimari elemanlarının bir kısmının günümüze ulaşmadığı gözlemlenmiştir. Farklı mekânlarda bulunan duvarlarda, kubbelerde ve tonozlarda hasarlar oluşmasının yanı sıra yapının genelinde malzeme ve kesit kayıpları bulunmaktadır. Dört eyvanlı ve dört halvet odalı sıcaklık bölümünün şeması ile yapının genel mekansal organizasyonu, benzer diğer tarihsel Türk hamamlarının yanı sıra Edirnedeki Osmanlı dönemi hamamlarıyla da karşılaştırılmış, belirli yapısal ve tipolojik benzerlikler ortaya konmuştur. Kısmen hasarlı olduğu için onarıma, yeniden işlev kazandırılmaya ve sonrasında ise sürekli bakıma ihtiyaç duymaktadır. Osmanlı erken modernleşme sürecinde inşa edilse de dört eyvanlı ve dört köşe halvet odalı sıcaklık bölümü şeması; Anadolu Selçukluları ve Beylikler devrinden itibaren yaygın olarak kullanılan ve Osmanlı dönemi Edirne hamam yapılarında da gözlenen tipolojik sürekliliği izlemesi açısından dikkat çekicidir. Ayrıca, hizmet verilen özel bir kitle söz konusu olsa da yapı genel hamamların tüm niteliğini barındırır. Arşiv belgeleri, tarihsel dönem kaynakları ve saha çalışmalarından elde edilen verilerin analizi sonrası ortaya çıkan bulguları temel alarak oluşturulan restitüsyon önerileri, yapının özgün mekân şeması ve biçimine ilişkin bilimsel bir değerlendirme sunmayı amaç edinmiştir.

 In Turkish-Islamic civilization, the cleanliness of the environment, clothing, and the body has held profound significance not only as a prerequisite for individual worship and religious practices but also as a vital factor in ensuring public health and environmental preservation. Hammams, constructed to maintain both personal and communal hygiene, have become indispensable elements of social life. Whether built as independent structures or integrated within public complexes, they have played an essential role in shaping urban landscapes. Over time, they developed a distinctive typology, emerging as principal architectural representations of water and hygiene technologies. This study focuses on the Imperial Infantry Barracks Hammam in Edirne, a notable example of this architectural type from the early 19th century. Based on archival documents and period sources, this research investigates the construction process, restoration history, and transformations over time of the hammam, built during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II. Through fieldwork, the architectural features and plan of the structure have been documented. A typological comparison with earlier Turkish hammams has been conducted, questioning the feasibility of proposing a reliable restitution plan. Despite the absence of dedicated studies on this particular hammam in the literature, a number of general overviews on the subject exist. However, the data and findings presented in this study are not found in the current body of work, thus constituting a unique contribution to the field. Sultan Mahmud IIs reformist efforts, particularly the modernization of the military, led to changes that were also reflected in military architecture, resulting in the construction of modern military complexes in cities such as Istanbul and Edirne. The research findings indicate that the Imperial Infantry Barracks complex in Edirne was constructed between 1826 and 1827 as one of the earliest tangible outcomes of this transformation. The barracks, as the main building of the complex, along with its attached mosque, represent some of the earliest structures reflecting the innovative efforts of Sultan Mahmud II. In contrast, the hammam, which commenced operations in 1827 as one of the ancillary buildings of the complex, continues to uphold the typological and spatial continuity of historical Turkish hammam architecture. Over time, the hammam has sustained extensive damage due to wear, fire, and the ravages of wars and occupations, necessitating several phases of restoration. Despite these challenges, the hammam remained operational without interruption until the onset of World War I. After the military designation was removed from the site in the early years of the Republic, the building ceased to function and, as a result of being left unused, gradually fell into partial ruin. The findings indicate that, in addition to serving military personnel, the hammam also operated as a public facility. Between 2019 and 2022, a series of observations, examinations, identifications, and documentation efforts were undertaken, culminating in the creation of a detailed plan reflecting the buildings current condition. The data analysis systematically evaluated various aspects of the building, including its spatial organization, surrounding context, features such as the furnace külhan, water reservoir and plumbing systems, construction techniques, materials, architectural elements, and ornamentation. Although the spatial integrity of the building has been largely preserved, it has been observed that parts of the roof and certain architectural elements have not survived to the present day. In addition to the damage in the walls, domes, and vaults located in various spaces, there are material and sectional losses throughout the structure. The schematic layout of the four-iwan and four halvet rooms within the hot room hararetsıcaklık section, along with the overall spatial organization of the structure, was compared to other similar historical Turkish hammams, as well as to Ottoman-period hammams in Edirne, emphasizing specific structural and typological similarities. Due to being partially damaged, the building requires restoration, adaptive reuse, and ongoing maintenance. Although constructed during the early Ottoman modernization period, the hot rooms four-iwan and four-corner halvet configuration is particularly significant for its adherence to a typological continuity that originated in the Anatolian Seljuk and Beylik periods and persisted in Ottoman-era hammams in Edirne. Moreover, despite serving a specific user group, the structure retains all the essential characteristics of a traditional public bath. Based on the analysis of archival documents, historical sources, and fieldwork data, the restitution proposals developed from these findings aim to provide a rigorous scholarly assessment of the buildings original spatial configuration and architectural form.

 In Turkish-Islamic civilization, the cleanliness of the environment, clothing, and the body has held profound significance not only as a prerequisite for individual worship and religious practices but also as a vital factor in ensuring public health and environmental preservation. Hammams, constructed to maintain both personal and communal hygiene, have become indispensable elements of social life. Whether built as independent structures or integrated within public complexes, they have played an essential role in shaping urban landscapes. Over time, they developed a distinctive typology, emerging as principal architectural representations of water and hygiene technologies. This study focuses on the Imperial Infantry Barracks Hammam in Edirne, a notable example of this architectural type from the early 19th century. Based on archival documents and period sources, this research investigates the construction process, restoration history, and transformations over time of the hammam, built during the reign of Sultan Mahmud II. Through fieldwork, the architectural features and plan of the structure have been documented. A typological comparison with earlier Turkish hammams has been conducted, questioning the feasibility of proposing a reliable restitution plan. Despite the absence of dedicated studies on this particular hammam in the literature, a number of general overviews on the subject exist. However, the data and findings presented in this study are not found in the current body of work, thus constituting a unique contribution to the field. Sultan Mahmud IIs reformist efforts, particularly the modernization of the military, led to changes that were also reflected in military architecture, resulting in the construction of modern military complexes in cities such as Istanbul and Edirne. The research findings indicate that the Imperial Infantry Barracks complex in Edirne was constructed between 1826 and 1827 as one of the earliest tangible outcomes of this transformation. The barracks, as the main building of the complex, along with its attached mosque, represent some of the earliest structures reflecting the innovative efforts of Sultan Mahmud II. In contrast, the hammam, which commenced operations in 1827 as one of the ancillary buildings of the complex, continues to uphold the typological and spatial continuity of historical Turkish hammam architecture. Over time, the hammam has sustained extensive damage due to wear, fire, and the ravages of wars and occupations, necessitating several phases of restoration. Despite these challenges, the hammam remained operational without interruption until the onset of World War I. After the military designation was removed from the site in the early years of the Republic, the building ceased to function and, as a result of being left unused, gradually fell into partial ruin. The findings indicate that, in addition to serving military personnel, the hammam also operated as a public facility. Between 2019 and 2022, a series of observations, examinations, identifications, and documentation efforts were undertaken, culminating in the creation of a detailed plan reflecting the buildings current condition. The data analysis systematically evaluated various aspects of the building, including its spatial organization, surrounding context, features such as the furnace külhan, water reservoir and plumbing systems, construction techniques, materials, architectural elements, and ornamentation. Although the spatial integrity of the building has been largely preserved, it has been observed that parts of the roof and certain architectural elements have not survived to the present day. In addition to the damage in the walls, domes, and vaults located in various spaces, there are material and sectional losses throughout the structure. The schematic layout of the four-iwan and four halvet rooms within the hot room hararetsıcaklık section, along with the overall spatial organization of the structure, was compared to other similar historical Turkish hammams, as well as to Ottoman-period hammams in Edirne, emphasizing specific structural and typological similarities. Due to being partially damaged, the building requires restoration, adaptive reuse, and ongoing maintenance. Although constructed during the early Ottoman modernization period, the hot rooms four-iwan and four-corner halvet configuration is particularly significant for its adherence to a typological continuity that originated in the Anatolian Seljuk and Beylik periods and persisted in Ottoman-era hammams in Edirne. Moreover, despite serving a specific user group, the structure retains all the essential characteristics of a traditional public bath. Based on the analysis of archival documents, historical sources, and fieldwork data, the restitution proposals developed from these findings aim to provide a rigorous scholarly assessment of the buildings original spatial configuration and architectural form.

Article Details

A Hammam in the Early Ottoman Modernization Period: The Hammam of the Edirne Imperial Infantry Barracks

Authors:

İsmet Osmanoğlu

Publisher:

Hitit University

Main Topics:

Mimari

Journal:

Hitit İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 1, pp.36-74

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001352687

pISSN:

2757-6949

Ottoman Period Architecture

Hammam of the Edirne Imperial Infantry Barracks

Ottoman Hammams

Ottoman Military Architecture

Conservation of Architectural Heritage

RestitutionOsmanlı Dönemi Mimarlığı

Edirne Piyâde Kışla-i Hümâyûnu Hamamı

Osmanlı Hamamları

Osmanlı Askerî Mimarisi

Mimari Mirasın Korunması

Restitüsyon.

Issues

Article Details

Authors: İsmet Osmanoğlu

Publisher: Hitit University

Main Topics: Mimari

Journal: Hitit İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 1, pp.36-74

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 6/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001352687

pISSN: 2757-6949

Issues

Authors:

İsmet Osmanoğlu

Publisher:

Hitit University

Main Topics:

Mimari

Journal:

Hitit İlahiyat Dergisi Vol.24 Issue 1, pp.36-74

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001352687

pISSN:

2757-6949