Sultan Bath - History

he Ottoman Sultans ruled one of the world's most powerful, long lived, and prosperous empires. Stretching from the Danube River in Europe to the Persian Gulf in Western Asia and across North Africa, the Ottoman Empire's population consisted of numerous ethnicities and cultural traditions. At its heart lay the largest and most cosmopolitan imperial city of its era, Constantinople. Linking East and West within its city walls, it was the economic, cultural, and artistic nexus of the world. Ottoman Constantinople was also the former capital of both the Roman and Byzantine Empires, resulting in an imperial legacy rich in cultural heritage and artistic achievement. The Ottoman Sultans drew upon this wealth of creativity and ingenuity in order to live in complete luxury. Their palaces and imperial mosques were exquisitely designed and lavishly decorated with the most expensive and highest quality materials. Among their favorite materials was bronze. Not only did bronze represent their wealth and prosperity, but its copper component also possessed known healing properties. One of the key centers of health and wellness in Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman times was the bath. Traditionally made of marble, Ottoman artisans improved upon the bath's healing capabilities by crafting its basin out of bronze. The result was a perfectly designed, handcrafted bronze bathtub with the highest quality finish intended solely for his imperial majesty, the Ottoman Sultan.

We have thoroughly researched the specialized craft of Ottoman bronze production in order to revive the centuries old techniques used to create the luxurious bathing vessels of the Ottoman Sultans. By recreating the original molds and by utilizing authentic designs, polishing techniques, and foundry processes, we have succeeded in resurrecting these handcrafted bronze bathtubs in the twenty-first century. The Ottoman Empire has since dissolved into the various nation-states of today's Middle East and Constantinople is now the city of Istanbul in the Republic of Turkey, but it is still possible to experience the splendor, luxury, and lavishness of the Ottoman Sultans through our Sultan Bath.