Baños Àrabicos de Elche - arab baths with museum - historical building in Elche

In the historic center of the city of Elche in the province of Alicante, there is a museum that was once a public Muslim bath. It is a historical monument that was built by the Moors in the second half of the 12th century. The baths are located in the basement of the old monastery of the "Orden de la Merced" (Order of Mercy) and have a special status in the cultural heritage of Valencia. It is the only one of the public baths from that era that has been preserved to this day. Baños Àrabicos is one of those places that should not be missed as a tourist when visiting Elche.

The building as it stands today was a donation from Don Manuel - the son of the Queen of Murcia - to the Order of Merced in 1270. The baths consisted of several rooms with different purposes. In addition to the traditional cold baths, there were also rooms with hot water, rooms with such intense heat that it is equivalent to today's saunas and a cloakroom. The best preserved of the rooms is the "bayt-al-sajun" which was dedicated to hot baths. There you can see eight brick pillars from which hot air flowed. The hot air came through underground channels from a furnace in another room.

Baños Àrabicos de Elche

Entrance to the Baños Àrabicos de Elche

Monk cell in Baños Àrabicos de Elche

Brick pillars that released hot air from underground ventilation ducts

The architecture is a good example of the masterful engineering of the Muslims of that time. The pillars, the arched doors and the infrastructure with the intake of water, air and light testify to the great importance that the constructors placed on giving the visitors a relaxing, purifying and refreshing experience. The public baths were an important part of the daily life of the Muslims. The building was well located near the mosque and the main entrance to the city. This made it easy for strangers who came to the city to pray in the mosque or shop in the city market to stop by the bath.

But the baths were also much more than a place to take care of one's hygiene. From the 13th to the 15th century, they were an important meeting place where people gained cultural impressions and made acquaintances that could be useful in both business and private life.

Tub for cold baths

Ceiling with channels that let in air and light

Exit to the inner monastery garden

More excursions: www.turideer.com

Excursion of the week: Visit to a historical building in Elche - Baños Àrabicos de Elche

Suitable for: Everyone, but the basement with the bathrooms is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers

Opening hours and prices: The museum is open from 10am to 2pm and 3pm to 6pm from Tuesday to Saturday. 10am to 2pm on Sundays. Closed on Mondays. Entrance fee is 1 Euro, 0.5 Euro for children, students and pensioners.

Getting there: Address: Paseo de las Eras de Santa Lucía, 14. Phone: +34 965 452 887

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