The story of Hızırbey Hamamı is not just about its age, but its profound purpose, woven into the very fabric of Istanbul’s history. Our journey begins in 1458, a pivotal time just five years after the conquest that transformed Constantinople into a new world capital.
The Whispers of Wishes and the Power of Healing Waters
Beneath the hamam lies a colossal cistern, which for centuries has been the subject of legends. However, it is believed that the true power of this cistern’s water comes from its union with an ancient cistern hidden beneath the nearby İmaret Sabunhanesi Street, known as “Cisterna Votorum” (The Cistern of Wishes).
This cistern is also believed to be the source of the holy baptismal water used at the historic Ayınbiri Church, a Byzantine-era church said to have been built by Emperor Justinian for his wife Theodora and known as the ‘House of the Mother of God’ (Panaghia). Legend has it that this water holds mystical powers to grant the deepest desires, bring healing to the body, and bless those seeking good fortune. It is even believed that contact with the water here provides a closer connection to these powers than one could find at the church itself.
“Corpus Purgate, Animus Purgate” (Cleanse Your Body, Cleanse Your Soul).
This water became a sacred source not just for purification, but also for the whispering of one’s deepest wishes. It is said that anyone who quietly approaches the water and whispers their wish, if their intention is truly pure, would receive a sign of their wish’s fulfillment through the echoes originating from the depths of the Cisterna Votorum. This cistern is not just a source of water; it is a confidant that holds people’s deepest desires and hopes.
The Founder and His Vision
The hamam was commissioned by an exceptional figure: Hızır Bey, who was appointed by Sultan Mehmed II as the very first Kadı of Istanbul. In the 15th-century Ottoman state, the role of the Kadı was immense. He was not merely a judge; he was the city’s highest-ranking civil administrator, a figure comparable to a modern-day Mayor and Chief Magistrate combined. His responsibilities included everything from overseeing the markets and public works to ensuring the civil order and well-being of all citizens.
A Solution Born from Necessity
One of the most critical challenges facing the new capital was its infrastructure. A rapidly growing population was putting immense strain on the city’s ancient and damaged water systems. Water became a precious, carefully managed resource. In a pragmatic and bold act of urban planning, a decree was issued: to conserve this vital resource, the construction of new, water-intensive private hamams was banned.
Hızırbey Hamamı was the answer to this challenge. It was not conceived as an imperial luxury or a symbol of status. It was built as a public work of art and a sanctuary for all citizens. Its purpose was clear: to offer the essential ritual of purification—a right for both physical and spiritual health—to everyone, in a sustainable and equitable way.
This founding principle is the very soul of our identity today. We are not a palace hamam built for the elite; we are a people’s hamam, rooted in a legacy of public service. This is why, true to our heritage, we proudly maintain a shared, co-ed space where all are welcome and treated as equals.
“Homo sum humani nihil a me alienum puto” (I am human. I consider nothing human is alien to me).