TEHRAN – Hammam-e Qal’eh, a historical public bathhouse in Hamedan, has opened its doors on Sunday after going through a restoration project.

Aimed at putting some sparks into the tourism capacities of the province, Hammam-e Qaleh is set to host enthusiasts as of now, a provincial official in charge of cultural heritage brought to light during the inaugural ceremony.

“Initiating renovation projects of some other historical buildings is in the pipeline,” said Hamidreza Heidari. “Soon they’ll also welcome tourists.”

The bathhouse, he underscored, dates its historical roots back to the Qajar era, being recognized as a national heritage in 2002.

Heidari elaborated that, directed by the national Fund for Development and Revitalizing, the renovation took place with the private sector investment.

“Hammam-e Qal’eh will do duty as a cultural, touristic hub,” the official winded up.

Moreover, attending the ceremony, Shahab Talayi, the CEO of the National Fund for Development and Revitalizing, announced that one restored historical building is planned to open doors every 20 days with an eye toward enriching the tourism infrastructures across the country.

Bathhouses or “hammams” in Iran were not 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 past.

XF/AM