TEHRAN–A Qajar-era (1789-1925) public bathhouse in Astaneh, central Markazi province, has undergone some rehabilitation works, a local tourism official has said.

A budget of one billion rials ($3,500) has been allocated to the project, Mohammad Atabaki explained on Sunday.

The project includes repairing the rooftop and removing debris, the official added.

Bathhouses or ‘hammams’ in Iran were not the only places for bathing and cleaning up. They had a social concept for people who gathered at these places weekly.

It was a place where people talked with each other about their daily life and shared humor and news. There are still bathhouses in Iranian cities, but they do not have their social function anymore since most people have bathrooms in their homes due to the modern lifestyle.

Some cities had separate bathhouses for men and women. They were usually built next to each other. However, there were some bathhouses, which were used by men and women at different times of the day.

Persian literature is full of proverbs, narrations, and folk stories about bathhouses, which indicate the importance of the place in the pastime.

ABU/AM