Baños Árabes

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Come and visit this old hammam in Elche, a valuable reminder of our Arab past.

The baños árabes, Arab baths of Elche are located in what is now the Monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Merced de las Clarisas (Our Lady of Mercy of the Poor Clares). They are a remnant of the city's oldest iteration and have been almost entirely preserved.

These Arab baths must once have been hugely important in their day, given their location near the site of the old mosque and one of the gates in the city walls. In the society of the time, this was a place for meeting and socialising, as well as providing moments of relaxation.

During your visit, you will learn how they were divided into three different areas for cold, warm and hot water. Each of these sections was roofed by a barrel vault into which roof lanterns were built to let in the outside light.

Today, Elche's Arab baths are open to the public. Since being refurbished, they offer an atmosphere that recreates what must have been their original ambience and sounds when in use. This is a truly essential stop on your Elche city tour!