Nicosia, Cyprus. Work to advance the conservation of the historic ‘Tanti’ Hammam in Nicosia moved forward on Friday as the project’s design team gathered on site to discuss the next phase of restoration planning.
On-site meeting and conservation planning
The meeting focused on technical preparations for the conservation designs of the Ottoman-era bathhouse, while discussions also centred on the building’s historical and cultural significance within the Ayios Kassianos neighbourhood. Project representatives said participants examined restoration priorities and preservation challenges linked to the structure’s age and condition.
Project implementation and funding
The project is being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on behalf of the bicommunal Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage (TCCH) with funding from the European Union.
Location and construction
Located near the Loredano bastion in the capital’s northern quarter, the hammam was built in the early 1900s by Greek Cypriot Kostis Kyriakou Tanti using craftsmen and stonemasons. Constructed from cut stone, the building reflects the layout and architectural characteristics of a traditional Ottoman bathhouse.
Historical accounts and neighbourhood development
Historical accounts describe the hammam as one of the first bathhouses in Nicosia to introduce a private family bathing room through a separate entrance from the street. The surrounding homes built by Tanti between 1920 and 1927 gradually formed a small residential quarter around the site.
Local historians’ account of financing
Local historians claim Tanti financed the construction after discovering hidden gold revealed to him by a fellow Arab inmate while imprisoned by the Ottoman Turks in the early 20th century. According to the account, the treasure was intended to be shared between the two men upon their release.
What aspects of the ‘Tanti’ Hammam’s history and restoration will you be watching for as the project moves into its next phase?