Seyhamamı Tarihi Kaplıcası

About Seyhamamı Tarihi Kaplıcası

Seyhamamı is a small, old-fashioned hot-spring bath in the hills north of Kızılcahamam, about 18 km from the district centre and 2 km from the village of Güvem. It is a very different experience from the large thermal hotels in town: Kızılcahamam Municipality notes that the bath sits directly on the point where the spring rises, and that the thermal water gathers in a natural pool at a comparatively low temperature. The municipality gives the water's surface temperature as 44°C. Local tradition, repeated by the municipality, holds that the bath was built by German armies during the Crusades. The Ottoman scholar Ali Cevad mentions it as "Sek Hamamı". The village was formerly called Kilise after a Byzantine church that was pulled down in the second half of the 15th century under the Candaroğlu ruler İskender Bey; a mosque was built on the site and was thoroughly restored by the General Directorate of Foundations in 2007. The bath buildings were badly damaged in the 1943 Çerkeş earthquake, patched up and brought back into use, and stayed basic for many years. Geologically, the spring emerges where a north-south fault along the Hamamderesi stream crosses an east-west fault, in a landscape of volcanic tuff and andesite lava, and it belongs to the same system as the other Kızılcahamam springs. Practical notes: entry is paid, and the bath is run simply by local villagers rather than as a hotel spa, so bring your own towel and slippers. There is no regular public transport to the village; plan to come by car or taxi from Kızılcahamam. Check current prices and opening times locally before you go. The visit pairs well with Soğuksu National Park and the springs in Kızılcahamam town.