Hamam Zeyrek Cinili is restored in Istanbul
This article is part of our special Design section on water as a source of creativity.On May 3, Zeyrek Cinili Hamam, a 500-year-old public bathhouse, reopened in Istanbul after a 13-year restoration costing more than $15 million. Named for its original cobalt and turquoise cladding (cinili is the Turkish word for "tiled"), the hamam is the jewel of the Zeyrek district, a historic district of Istanbul now a UNESCO world heritage site.Visitors can enjoy a traditional Turkish bath under soaring domes pierced by star-shaped skylights that send twinkling rays into the rooms. A typical one-hour bath costs 95 euros (about $101) and includes an exfoliating scrub and massage accompanied by the soothing sound of water splashing in the marble tubs.Just as in Ottoman times, anyone who can afford the...