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It is believed that in the Muslim Period there were nine hundred public baths, this  means that people liked bathing and personal cleanness all together with the pleasure of a bath. Many of them were found in Carlos Rubio Street, Cana Street or Velázquez Bosco Street... among many others, many of which we have data, but sadly they do not retain its majority.
Besides there were other private, for the high society, used by the great lords in their palaces. One of them was found into the Alcazar. This one was built by Monarch Alphonse X "The Wise" in 1338 for his favourite Leonor Núñez de Guzmán. She stayed long periods in this place, waiting for his lover, King Alphonse X "The Wise", who was fighting somewhere in Spain. Interestingly, the same king prohibited the baths in the city long ago because they were morally harmful.
These baths were made in Mudejar Style and the sculptor Maese Mohammad made them, assisted by his son in law, the carpenter Yuçaff and other mudejar alarifes (masons).
They were situated under the Room of the Mosaics, you can reach them going down the same stairs of the Moorish Court. They are by the north wall, currently has an excellent state of preservation.
Originally the baths had a rectangular floor, but today the baths had many rooms every one with a function. We begin by a covered zone with a skylight between walls, this wall delimitates with one of the court, used as dark well, without covering it. In other times this was used as prison. After this there is a resting room with a star plan, with six points. This room has little windows. On the left link there is a Tepidarium (moderately warm) room, for dressing and resting, covered with a vault. Finally there is the Caldarium (Warm Room) with rectangular plan and barrel vault and skylight.
Both hot water and heat were artificially produced in two independent departments located at the bottom, beyond the living room of hot water. In the Tribute Tower of the tribute there was a pool with a sophisticated hydraulic system that runs the water to the individual baths by clay conical duct. Every bath has a length of 1,40 x 1,40 meters approximately. |
