Hammam Bab al-Ahmar

Some 300 metres east of the citadel stands an Ottoman bath house that takes its name from the quarter. What it is known for is the lantern dome on its roof and the decoration inside. It closed during the war and was badly damaged; it was repaired and reopened in 2017. The mosque of the same name is 30 metres away, and the street carries the name too.

Getting there

Walk 300 metres east from the citadel square, along Bab al-Ahmar Street. Hammam Yalbugha al-Nasiri lies 200 metres to the west. The two baths fit into one walk, but the fabric changes: one sits on the edge of the square, the other inside the quarter.

How long it takes

Fifteen minutes if you only look. If you plan to use the bath, an hour is the floor.

What to see

From outside, the stone front and the lantern on the roof: a small glazed tower on the crown of the dome, and it is what lights the room below. At night the front is lit and the sign above the door is the most visible thing on the street. Inside are the Ottoman dome plan and its ornament; we hold no dated report on how much of that the repair preserved.

Do not miss

Keep the number in mind. Medieval Aleppo had 177 bath houses inside the old city; today around 18 of them still stand and work. This is one of them. The mosque, the street and the bath in this quarter all carry the same name.

Where things stand

The 2017 repair added a restaurant and a café to the building, so this is no longer only a bath house. Whether bathing is on offer, and at what hours and price, varies; ask at the door.