Hamamni Persian Baths
Encyclopedia
The Hamamni Persian Baths are an historical building of Stone Town
, Zanzibar
. The name Hamamni is also used to refer to the neighbourhood where the building is located.
The Baths were built between 1870 and 1888 for sultan Barghash bin Said
for use as public baths, and maintained this function until 1920. They are referred to as "Persian" because their construction was commissioned to Shirazi
architects. The word "Hamamni" means "the place of the baths".
The building had a complex structure with several rooms, including hot and cold baths, toilets, shaving areas, and a restaurant. Hot water was provided by underground aqueduct
s. Entrance was subject to a fee, so that only wealthy zanzibaris could use them regularly. They were open both to men and women, but with different hours of admittance.
The Baths are not working anymore, but they are open to visitors and are a major tourist attractions of Stone Town. Visits are limited to some areas of the original complex because part of it (e.g., the restaurant) has since been adapted for private residences.
Stone Town
Stone Town also known as Mji Mkongwe is the old part of Zanzibar City, the main city of Zanzibar, in Tanzania, as opposed to Ng'ambo . It is located on the western coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago...
, Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
. The name Hamamni is also used to refer to the neighbourhood where the building is located.
The Baths were built between 1870 and 1888 for sultan Barghash bin Said
Barghash bin Said of Zanzibar
Sayyid Barghash bin Said Al-Busaid, GCMG, GCTE , son of Said bin Sultan,was the second Sultan of Zanzibar. Barghash ruled Zanzibar from October 7, 1870 to March 26, 1888....
for use as public baths, and maintained this function until 1920. They are referred to as "Persian" because their construction was commissioned to Shirazi
Shirazi
- People :*Shirazi , a social group among the Swahili people of East Africa*Grand Ayatollah Mirza Hassan Shirazi, the leading marja of his time, and is widely known for his 1891 fatwa against the usage of tobacco...
architects. The word "Hamamni" means "the place of the baths".
The building had a complex structure with several rooms, including hot and cold baths, toilets, shaving areas, and a restaurant. Hot water was provided by underground aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
s. Entrance was subject to a fee, so that only wealthy zanzibaris could use them regularly. They were open both to men and women, but with different hours of admittance.
The Baths are not working anymore, but they are open to visitors and are a major tourist attractions of Stone Town. Visits are limited to some areas of the original complex because part of it (e.g., the restaurant) has since been adapted for private residences.