Syrians flock to Aleppo’s ancient bathhouses as power cuts make hot water a luxury

Shortages of water, fuel and electricity across war-torn Syria have turned Aleppo’s traditional bathhouses into a refuge during the cold winter

The city has suffered round-the-clock power cuts this year, reaching up to 20 hours a day – but the bathhouses have their own furnaces to produce hot water

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A man carries a child inside Hammam al-Qawas, a traditional Turkish bathhouse, in Syria’s northern city of Aleppo. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:33pm, 30 Dec 2021

The ancient bathhouses of Syria’s second city Aleppo are filling up again, not because of a revived fad, but because of power cuts that have made hot showers a luxury.

“We mainly rely on electricity to heat water at home, but the electricity is cut off most of the time,” said Mohammed Hariri from a crowded bathhouse where he had waited half an hour for his turn.

“Here, we take all the time we need showering,” said the 31-year-old.

Men eat lunch after bathing at Hammam al-Qawas in Aleppo earlier this month. Photo: AFP

With their marble steam rooms, hexagonal fountains and distinctive domes, Aleppo’s bathhouses have for centuries served as a social hub where men come together to wash, listen to music and even eat.

But shortages of water, fuel and electricity across war-torn Syria have also turned them into a refuge for those looking for a long, warm bath during the cold winter.

In Hammam al-Qawwas, one of more than 50 traditional bathhouses in Aleppo’s Old City, diesel fuel and firewood are used to power furnaces providing hot water and steam.