"The Hammam in old Sana’a city (Architectural, historical and descriptive study)"

• Main Author: Alaa Ahmed
• Format: Article
• Language: Arabic
• Published: Arab Association for Islamic Civilization and Art 2017-10-01
• Series: Journal of Architecture, Art & Humanistic Science
• Online Access: https://mjaf.journals.ekb.eg/article_21490.html

The Hammam (public steam baths) were known in the old city of Sana’a ever since the ancient times, and they were mostly wide spread in the Islamic epoch where they had a distinctive role in activating the social & economic life, moreover the political life. Most steam baths were mosque extensions that were used as Waqf (Endowment) that generate an income for the mosques, their numbers were associated to the number of areas in the city but some were working individually, the public or private steam baths were widely spread in the ottoman & Islamic epoch had their names after their builders or areas. The touristic investment for these monuments which are an image of an identity threatened to be withdrawn at any moment is an important aspect to save these monuments, which have put social and economic identity and even political in previous historical periods that people still practice these roles till date. Therefore, it’s an important alert to recover the social rituals that reflect the history of a nation which had a historical and social instructive in the civilizations tender, also cooperate to restore such practices as a new method of an architectural preservation not extracted from the humanitarian practice. The benefit of this research seeks to record the history of the old City of Sanaa steam baths and determine their location, shape and architectural additions that have been developed and when it was done, and pair it with the events of the particular build period as much as possible. And it aimed to activate the continuity of the steam baths facilities & revive the heritage’s spirit & practices that can be a touristic investment if done according to systematic plans & provide the services in a traditional appearance that have all health and recreational conditions.