It’s hard not to fall in love with this wonderful architectural gem. Designed by Harold Elphick, this Turkish bath was opened in 1895 by Henry and James Forder Nevill and still stands on Old Broadstreet and Bishopsgate.
Source> upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Turkish_Bath_in_London.jpg
Some interesting facts!
– The building withstood two world war bombings and an IRA attack
– Baths were open from seven in the morning till nine at night and a ‘plain hot-air bath, with shower’ cost 3/6d
– The calidarium (the hottest room) could be raised to a temperature of 270°f
– The cold plunge pool was a surprising 30ft long and 5 ft deep lined with marble, mosaic and tiles
In 1952, the bath closed due to economic pressures including an increase in fuel costs. It is now used as an Italian restaurant.
After reading lots about this fascinating bath, I did a bit of digging and found that there are around 13 Victorian style baths that still remain open to the public including those located in Harrogate and East London.
A fascinating history is connected to these East London baths known as the Russian Vapour Baths. Opened and used by members of the Jewish community, they were seen as a way to wind down after a hard days work or even before a visit to Friday prayer back in 1888.
If you are looking for an excuse to pamper yourself and venture back further than Victorian ages then it’s definately worth me sharing a recent trip to Bath where I discovered the Thermae Bath Spa. These natural thermal springs were first discovered by Prince Bladud around 863BC, who was supposedly cured from his skin disease after bathing in the waters. The water contains over 42 minerals and reaches temperatures of 92 Farenheit. If you are going to go on the weekends then be prepared to queue. http://www.thermaebathspa.com
FATLDN 
