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The first modern public baths were opened in Liverpool in 1829. The first known warm fresh-water public wash house was opened in May 1842. The popularity of wash-houses was spurred by the newspaper interest in Kitty Wilkinson, an Irish immigrant "wife of a labourer" who became known as the Saint of the Slums.
- Buzzfeed Staff
- Gellért Baths — Budapest, Hungary.
- Terme di Saturnia — Saturnia, Italy.
- Cagaloglu Hamami — Istanbul, Turkey.
- Takaragawa Onsen — Gunma, Japan.
- Onsen. San Francisco, CA. Opened: November 2016. Despite its name, this San Francisco haven is more akin to a sento, the indoor Japanese bathhouses heated the electric way (in Japan, onsens baths are geothermically heated by the country’s plentiful volcanic activity).
- Asha Urban Baths. Sacramento, CA. Opened: November 2016. A serene zone in bustling Sacramento, Asha is a fully coed space designed for unplugging and unwinding, with staff committed to keeping the volume level calm—they ring a gong if you get too loud.
- CityWell. Brooklyn, NY. Opened: November 2015. Brooklyn’s CityWell positions itself as an affordable wellness oasis in the city, a place for preventive health care and healing through its steam room, hot stone massage, fire pit, and customized aromatherapy, as well as a soaking tub and cedar sauna.
- Löyly. Portland, OR. Opened: March 2015 (Northeast location) There are no tubs or plunge pools at Löyly’s two Portland locations, but they do offer another way to relieve stress: minimal, Scandinavian-style saunas.
Feb 21, 2022 · Public bathing isn’t quite so popular anymore, but there are still a number of wonderful bathhouses and geothermal hot springs where you can don your bathing suit and enjoy the healing powers of warm mineral waters or traditional massages. Here are 10 of the best in the world.
- Courtney Stanley
Sep 12, 2018 · Saunas, spas and baths have not only been spaces to get clean, they have also served as antidotes to cold weather, and as places to socialise with friends. From geothermal hot springs to prettily patterned hammams, here are 13 incredible public baths around the world.
May 2, 2023 · A guide to the world's best bathhouses, from saunas to jjimjilbangs. A quick-fire look at bathhouse culture around the world. By Kathryn RomeynMay 2, 2023 •6 minutes read. KAI Poroto, Tokyo. Image: Courtesy of Hoshino Resorts.
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Dec 4, 2017 · From public bath houses, to opulent and garish designs, through to a modern focus on nature and understated luxury, Jonathan Glancey explores how society shaped the modern bathroom.
