IFP Exclusive

Old Bathhouse in Central Iran Turned into Anthropology Museum

The cultural heritage organization of Isfahan province has turned an old bathhouse, dating back to the 16th century, into an anthropology museum.

Since the very beginning, bathhouses were among the highly important urban spaces and structures. Following mosques and schools, they were almost the most important urban buildings, particularly in Iran.

According to a Farsi report by IMNA, in the past, a number of factors were taken into consideration when constructing different sections of a bathhouse and designing its spaces.

They included providing easy access to different parts of the bathhouse; making it possible to regulate the temperature of the building’s interior spaces; controling the humidity; and sending the wastewater produced in the building out through channels. It was also important to build bathhouses within an urban texture.

‘Meymeh Gordeh Bathhouse’ in Meymeh county in Isfahan Province, central Iran, is one of these old buildings which has dome-like roofs and tall pillars. Lime and brick are the two main materials used in the construction of the bathhouse. ‘Gordeh’ means big in local dialect.

Located in front of Meymeh’s main mosque, known as ‘Jame Mosque’, the bathhouse was converted into an anthropology museum by the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of Isfahan Province in 2007. The aim of the move has been to showcase the regional people’s indigenous culture, customs, traditions; as well as professions and occupations in the past.

Meymeh’s bathhouse has been constructed in an area spanning 500 square meters.

A total of 600 antique items and historical objects are kept at the museum that help put on display the native people’s life 400 years ago.

Fatemeh Askarieh

Fatemeh Askarieh is an Iranian journalist working on a range of fields including culture, art, lifestyle, cultural heritage, and tourism. She has been working with the Iran Front Page (IFP) Media Group for 10 years, and is currently the head of the Art and Lifestyle Department.

Recent Posts

Iran strongly condemns US, UK air attacks on Yemen

The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the “barbaric” attacks by the…

3 hours ago

Nowruz Joy Carnival brightens Tehran with festive parade

A vibrant Nowruz carnival brought color and cheer to the streets of the Iranian capital…

4 hours ago

Iranian woman sets record by making 137 types of jam

An Iranian woman, Mrs. Mahmoudzadeh, has made headlines by setting a remarkable record for creating…

4 hours ago

IRGC chief warns of Iran’s firm response to threats

The chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has warned that while Iran…

5 hours ago

Road accidents: Third leading cause of death in Iran, costing $200k per fatality

Road accidents have been identified as the third leading cause of death in Iran, following…

5 hours ago

‘Putin lying to everyone’: Zelensky calls for ‘strong pressure’ on Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged an international coalition to intensify pressure on Moscow and…

8 hours ago