site.btaBulgarians' Tradition of Using Public Mineral Baths Experiencing Revival, Experts Tell BTA

The culture of using mineral baths in Bulgaria is experiencing a revival, even though almost two generations in Sofia have grown up without this tradition. It is gradually finding its place in people’s daily lives, with interest increasing alongside the growing demand for wellness and balneological services, Ivaylo Zahariev from the Bulgarian Association for Thermal Heritage said in an interview with BTA. “The baths of Bulgaria are not a thing of the past; they are part of our cultural heritage,” Zahariev added.

Assoc. Prof. Violeta Kotseva, head of the Department of Ethnology at St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, told BTA that a more complete picture of public baths across Bulgarian lands can be outlined for the Ottoman and Revival periods. The mass construction of public baths in Bulgarian lands coincides with the Ottoman period, a process facilitated by the many natural hot mineral springs, the scholar added.

Today, well-restored baths in the country have their regular clients, Zahariev noted, citing examples such as the municipal baths in the village of Yagoda, Haskovo Mineral Baths, Strelcha, and Yakoruda, which operate at a profit. The bath in Bankya, even though swimwear is involved, is consistently full of visitors.

According to Zahariev, followers of this tradition are mainly people with middle and higher incomes, seeking pleasure and health benefits from the mineral water. Prices range between BGN 10 and 20, depending on the level of service.

Although family cabins with bathtubs are available, Bulgarians increasingly visit baths individually rather than as a family, since everyone has a bathroom at home. Today, visits are primarily focused on relaxation and personal time, Zahariev added.

How it was before

After the 16th century, almost every settlement in Bulgaria built a hammam, especially where there was a concentrated Muslim population, Kotseva explained.

People would spend the whole day at the bath, with food brought along; women would prepare from the morning. Some authors even describe the hammam as the Bulgarian women’s Revival-era café, at a time when public establishments were not accessible to them.

The tradition allowed a full-day stay in the hammam, passing through the potilnya (steam room), bathing area, pool, and drying room. Baths were used by men on certain days and by women on others. Children would go with their mothers while young, then separate by gender as they grew older. For Bulgarians, the traditional bath day was Saturday, to be clean for Sunday church services, Assoc. Prof. Kotseva noted.

Hygiene culture

“What we today understand as hygiene - a type of cleanliness related to human health - did not exist in the traditional period,” Kotseva said, adding that while there are archaeological and written sources indicating some concern for cleanliness, it cannot be equated with modern hygiene.

Hygiene is a product of modern times, and in past eras, cleaning practices were more cultural or religious, often linked to honouring the sacred rather than personal health. In the Roman Empire, hygiene was an aristocratic practice rather than a health measure. Industrialization in Western Europe, bringing modern medicine and knowledge of health, led to higher hygiene standards as crowded factories and mines often triggered epidemics. Showers emerged as practical ways to quickly clean workers after hard labour.

Bulgaria remained outside these processes, but ritual purification entered through Islam. “In those periods, hygiene was more a cultural practice than a daily routine and had no direct link to health,” Kotseva explained.

Having a bath at home

The tradition of visiting public baths gradually declined with the introduction of bathrooms in homes and the expansion of water and sewage systems, Kotseva explained further. After the establishment of the Communist regime, a modernization policy led to the construction of public baths in many settlements.

In smaller villages, this practice persisted until the 1960s, but no longer as a family experience, as in the late Revival and early 20th century; it became an individual part of weekly or daily routines.

Baths in Bulgarian homes existed even during the Ottoman period in the form of domestic hammams, mainly in Muslim households. Some houses from the early 20th century still preserve such rooms, where water was heated in barrels and buckets. An exception is the Hindliyan House in Plovdiv, an aristocratic building with a bath.

The widespread adoption of home bathrooms began only with the mass construction of water and sewage networks. Early attempts to modernize cities in sanitary terms often failed, as Bulgarians considered paying for a water connection or toilet an unnecessary expense. Even where central water systems existed along main streets, extensions often did not reach individual homes.

“Happy bath!”

The tradition of saying “happy bath” gradually gained civic use and today is mostly a humorous expression. Kotseva noted that it is often associated with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who was known to have a poor view of the Balkans, especially Bulgaria. Nevertheless, the expression’s popularity reflects traditional domestic practices, she emphasized. For Bulgarians, going to the bath was an entire event - a day perceived as a holiday, free of work, when one could rest.

The tellak

The figure of the tellak (bath attendant) has always been present in Bulgaria - first in hammams, later in public baths. That person's main role was to clean visitors’ backs. In Ottoman hammams, the tellak was not a separate profession; the bath owner, an employee, or even other visitors often performed the role. Over time, it developed into a professional occupation.

How many baths remain

About 125 public mineral baths operate in Bulgaria, according to data from the Bulgarian Mineral Baths Association presented by Zahariev. Most are in Southern Bulgaria due to the abundance of mineral springs.

However, some of the most famous balneological centres, like Hisarya and Velingrad, poorly preserve their public baths. In Hisarya, only one of six or seven public baths is operational today; in Velingrad, five remain, and in poor condition. In Kyustendil, several baths exist, though one older Turkish bath is closed.

In Sofia, 12 mineral baths are known, but only two have been restored. The only one operating continuously is the bath in Pancharevo, always full of Sofianites and tourists, including from distant countries such as Japan. The second, in Bankya, has been renovated and functions as a modern spa centre.

Spa centres vs. mineral baths

According to Zahariev, one major reason for the closure of many mineral baths in Bulgaria is the rise of spa tourism after the 1990s, when much mineral water began to be diverted to spa hotels. He emphasized that the two tourism segments - traditional baths and modern spa centres - should develop in parallel, complementing each other, rather than one taking resources at the expense of the other.

“There is a huge difference between spa centres and baths. In public baths, the pool water is running and not treated with chemicals,” Zahariev said. He noted that the experience there is higher quality due to a calmer environment, fewer crowds, and preserved traditional separation of male and female areas.

How it is abroad

In Turkiye and Japan, the tradition of public baths is preserved, said Zahariev. In Tokyo, every neighborhood has small baths, and an association ensures uniform pricing - approximately BGN 7. In Europe, the term “European thermalism” exists due to the continent’s many mineral springs.

Hungary is a remarkable example, where most baths have been restored as modern spa centres. In Budapest, 15 baths have been restored through a municipal division, generating annual revenues of EUR 40 million, with at least one new or restored bath added each year. Similar best practices exist in Iceland, Germany, the Scandinavian countries, Georgia, and Czechia, where restored baths are usually mixed for men and women.

Unfortunately, Bulgaria still lacks a working scheme for restoring mineral baths, Zahariev noted. While some municipal baths operate successfully, many publicly owned ones are abandoned, causing significant damage to Sofia and the country - not only in image, but also in tourism, health, and economy.

Funding

No detailed estimates yet exist on the funds required to restore all mineral baths in the country, Zahariev said. For large sites, such as the Central Mineral Bath in Sofia, closed for nearly 40 years, the projected cost is around BGN 10 million for restoration alone. For smaller baths, like those in Knyazhevo and Gorna Banya, the necessary funds would be significantly fewer.