Hammam of Prince Miloš: A Court Bathhouse in Serbia
Site at a Glance
- Popularity
- Low
- Country
- Serbia
- Primary era
- Modern
- Eras represented
- Modern
- Civilizations
- Ottoman, Serbian
- Site type
- Sanitation
- Remains
- Baths
On this page6 sections
History
Construction and Court Role
The Hammam of Prince Miloš is a court bathhouse in Serbia, built for Prince Miloš Obrenović in the newly established Serbian state. Work began in 1836 and ended in 1837, during Miloš’s first reign, which lasted from 1817 to 1839. The building was dedicated to the prince and intended for the princely Lower Court.
The design follows Turkish bathhouse principles and is thought to have been conceived by Hadži Nikola Živković, Miloš’s court architect. The hammam formed part of a court complex along Topčider Road associated with Miloš’s sons, Milan and Mihailo Obrenović.
Later Use and Recognition
The complex’s other buildings later passed to the Ministry of Finance and served its needs. The hammam is the only surviving part of the complex, whose garden developed into a modern park.
On 20 April 1948, the hammam was declared a cultural monument of great importance. It now serves as a hospitality venue.
Remains
Building and Interior
The hammam is a small, self-contained, single-storey building with a rectangular plan, designed according to Turkish bathhouse principles. A hearth room and chimney project from the main structure. Its rooms include a šadrvan (waiting and changing area), a kapaluk (rest room), a halvat (bathing room), a hazna (water reservoir) and a ćulhan (furnace room).
The principal room served for bathing and rest and is covered by a shallow dome made from bricks laid in concentric courses. Openings in the dome and vaulted ceilings admit light through glass caps. Alterations to the building and its immediate surroundings have substantially diminished its authenticity.
Park Setting
The hammam stands in Gavrilo Princip Park, known as Financial Park until 2017. It lies north of the Government of Serbia building, west of the Finance Ministry and south of the Ascension Church. Set near the center of the block, it cannot be seen from the surrounding streets.
