"Turks are rediscovering the Turkish bath
Saturday, January 27, 2007
There used to be over 14,000 Turkish baths in Istanbul. Turkish baths used to be a neighborhood’s social club as well as a place to clean oneself. As bathtubs and showers started to be installed in homes they lost their popularity. Today only 130 Turkish baths remain. The Turkish bath concept, which was kept alive by tourists and a few that held on to tradition, became popular again with the adoption of a healthy lifestyle trend in Turkey"
More:Turks are rediscovering the Turkish bath - Turkish Daily News Jan 27, 2007