Hammam al-Malatili ** The historical “Margoush” bath, or “al-Malatili” as the public knows it in Egypt ***

The Egyptians were keen on cleanliness in the past, so they set up bathrooms in most of the streets of Cairo, which aroused the astonishment of the French and the British at that time. There is no doubt that Egyptian men and women accepted these bathrooms until our time despite the spread of beauty centres. Cairo.
(Hammam al-Malatili) Cairo is still the most famous of Cairo’s hammams, which works and receives its audience to this day, untouched by restoration, and its fame is back; Because it bears the name of one of the most famous films of Egyptian director Salah Abu Seif.
The construction date dates back to 1780 AD. It was established during the reign of the Ottoman governor, Ismail Pasha. It was known as (Hammam al-Malatili) about Sayyid al-Malt, the most prominent person who worked in this hammam. The Bab al-Sharia neighbourhood and the bathroom operates two shifts, the morning is for women, and the evening is for men. It is not much different from the rest of the bathrooms in Cairo, but it is the most famous, but it is on its way to extinction due to the lack of attention. The ticket price is 25 pounds.
Despite the Egyptians’ interest in modern baths, and some of them deal with the latest trends in this field, the popular baths that Egypt has known since the Ottomans did not completely withdraw from the field. Although there are Egyptians, especially from the new generations who do not know the popular bath except through old films, the teacher Zaher, the owner of one of these baths on Claude Bey Street in downtown Cairo, told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that these baths have not completely disappeared and are still there. Some customers prefer it. He pointed out that these bathrooms still retain their traditions, the most important of which is the separation between women and men, the quality of the traditional tools used, and the rising steam in the sky of the bathroom, which contributes to making the customer feel more relaxed and fun. The history of the popular baths in Egypt and the city of Cairo, in particular, dates back to the Ottoman era and is characterized by certain features of its own. It consists of many halls with fountains from which hot water flows at different temperatures. When the customer enters the bathroom, he finds a large hall where the (teacher) or the place’s owner who collects the fees stands. Then the journey of enjoying a hot bath begins with the customer wearing a special dress and passing through several rooms that are gradual in their heat and then ending to a large hall in the middle of which there is a hot water fountain that emits steam and can use a person who specializes in massage in the manner of modern sports clubs to seek more comfort and relaxation. Sayed Al-Malt, who works in the bathroom (Al-Matili), one of the most famous bathrooms in Egypt, bears the name of one of the most famous films of the great Egyptian director Salah Abu Seif the customer of the bathroom receives great care. He pointed out that the bathroom still uses traditional tools such as coarse cloth and red stone with which the skin of the feet and hands is rubbed to give the required softness to this skin, after a stage of immersing the customer with a traditional type of soap and rinsing it with abundant water. Al-Malt believed that most of the customers of these bathrooms now are simple and elderly, but the matter is not without a client who came to them through experimentation and discovery. He said that young clients frequent these baths to enjoy chatting, tell many stories, and recall the ancient past, especially that the material fees are modest and accessible to the public.
The last baths of Islamic Egypt, which is about 533 years old
Hammam al-Malati is located at 40 “Amir al-Juyush al-Jawani” Street in Bab al-Sha’aria. It was built in 1790 AD and is said to have been established during the reign of the Ottoman governor, “Ismail Pasha al-Tarabulsi,” the Ottoman governor of Egypt on December 2, 1788.
It was previously known as Hammam Suwayd, about its originator, Prince “Izz al-Din al-Suwayd”.. Then its name was changed to Hammam “Margoush” about the name of the current area, or Hammam al-Malatili, about Mr. “Al-Malti” who bought it from the Ottomans.
“Marjoush” or “Al-Matili” is also said to have been buried Caliph Al-Aziz Billah, and that the baths began to spread rapidly in the various neighbourhoods of Cairo and Egypt until their number reached one thousand and one hundred and seventy during his days. Al-Maqrizi said that some of these bathrooms are for men, and others are for women.
A section was opened for men before noon and women afterwards.
Baths in Egypt followed special ritual bathing that was subject to religion. For example, the “Al-Maqass” bath in Al-Gamaliya had most of its customers from the Jews, the “Tuesday” bath in Al-Muski was for Christians, and mystics only entered the “Saeed Al-Sa’id” bath in Al-Gamalia.
The baths were also used as therapeutic clinics for treatment with oils and medicinal plants. Some historians mentioned that the Egyptian government used the “Al-Tambali” bath in Bab Al-Sha’aria in 1940; To eliminate typhoid, the military was forcing people to enter the bathroom to take a shower and obtain disinfectant.
Whoever seeks wellness from a gentle Lord, let him seek God and then the chaste bath.” Ibn Dhahirah gave justification in his book “Al-Fadha.”