Integration of the Ottoman Hammams in Bosnia and Herzegovina into Modern Life: Case Study of Isa Bey Hammam

This work focuses on the historical adventure of the Isa Bey Hammam from its foundation in the fifteenth century all the way to today. It explores the possibilities of the maintenance of cultural heritage via integration into modern life. Hammams in Bosnia and Herzegovina represent an architectural typology of the Ottoman period that is directly related to the antiquity, of the hammams in Ancient Greece and Rome. The first hammam in Sarajevo was built by Isa Bey Ishaković, the founder of the city. Its form was radically changed during the Austro-Hungarian period (1878-1918). Today, it has the function of a hammam and a hotel. This paper aims to underline the historical continuity of those facilities in relation to previous historical periods, but also the changes in style, form, and function introduced to the Ottoman hammam architecture over the course of centuries despite the scarcity of material remains and historical sources.