Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse is a traditional Persian bathhouse or hammam built in the 16th century, during the Safavid era, in Kashan, Iran. However, the original bathhouse took serious damage due to an earthquake in 1778 and was reconstructed during the Qajar era (1789-1925). The Interior of the building is decorated with turquoise and gold tiles, plasterwork, and bricks. The main entrance with elegant stucco ornaments bears Qur’an verses and ancient Persian motifs on top of the door.
The first section of the hammam, called Sarbineh, is where people undress and rest. It is an octagonal columned hall around an octagonal fountain. The next section, garmkhaneh (hot room), is a four-pillar hall with hot water pools. People used this section mainly to scrub and get massages. Then, they had to wash in the hot water pools inside the surrounding chambers. Nevertheless, the bathhouse is mostly known for its fascinating roof with skylight domes.
Iran’s Cultural Heritage Department declared Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse a national heritage in 1956. The bathhouse functioned as a teahouse for a while in the past and went under another restoration in 1996. Today, it serves as a museum.
