RAFIF ESLEEM

Gaza- In the ongoing conflicts in the Gaza Strip, many historical places and structures have been destroyed but some historical structures still resist. Hamam al-Sammara is one of these historical structures resisting time and conflicts. Hamam Al-Samara is a Mamluk-era bath house dating back even beyond the 14th century. According to a plaque in the lobby of the hamam, Hamam al-Sammara was restored in 1320 by the Mamluk governor of the city Sanjar al-Jawli.

History researcher Nora Deep says that the hamam is the second oldest historical structure in the Gaza Strip after the Great Omari Mosque. “1,000 year-old hamam is located in the Zeitoun Quarter of the Old City. There were 38 baths in the city; Hamam Al-Samara is the only bath that has survived in the city. Every year, many domestic and foreign tourists visit the hamam. The floor of the hamam is made of marble slabs. It consists of several rooms with varied temperatures. The bath also has a resting room called ‘Eyvan’. It also has a steam room.”

A place for people seeking alternative medicine for their diseases

Stating that Hamam Al-Samara has become an important place for people seeking alternative medicine for their diseases, Nora Deep said, “Traditional alternative medicine is practiced in the hamam. The temperature in the hamam reaches 55 degrees. Women suffering from many diseases such as neck and back pain, obesity, severe headaches, kidney and liver diseases prefer traditional alternative medicine to get rid of their diseases.”