Sungurlu Historic Bathhouse
The Sungurlu Historic Bathhouse is an Ottoman-period bathhouse in the Sunguroğlu neighbourhood of Sungurlu, next to the Ulu Cami (Grand Mosque). According to the Kültür Envanteri record it was built by Sunguroğlu Mehmet Bey in 1756 (AH 1170) and has the single dome and arched structure typical of Ottoman architecture. A 2025 report in the Sungurlu Gazetesi gives the same information.
Date and builder
A 2012 report by the İhlas News Agency says the bathhouse was built in 1756 by Mehmet Sungur Bey in the Sunguroğlu neighbourhood, together with the Ulu Cami. The sources give the mosque’s date differently: one of the “Manevi Huzurum Çorum” brochures of the Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism says that Mehmet Bey, son of Sungur, had it built in AH 1170 (AD 1756), while another says 1762. For the mosque see Ulu Cami (Sungurlu).
The building
The sources describe the building only as having the “single dome and arched Ottoman architectural character”. The 2012 report mentions the room where the navel stone (göbek taşı) is; no detailed plan, measurements or inscription are given in these sources.
Condition
According to the İhlas News Agency report of 2012, the bathhouse was “on the verge of rotting away”; unknown persons dug a pit about two metres across in the room containing the navel stone, apparently looking for treasure. The report says the interior had begun to collapse completely and that local people, unhappy with the ruined appearance of the building, expected the authorities to take an interest. The 2025 report in the Sungurlu Gazetesi says the bathhouse “served for 256 years”. This information dates from the time of the reports; a current source should be consulted for the building’s present condition.
For the wider history of the district see History of Sungurlu.
Sources
- Kültür Envanteri, “Sungurlu Tarihi Hamam” (Sungurlu Historic Bathhouse). https://kulturenvanteri.com/yer/tarihi-hamam-sungurlu/
- İhlas News Agency, “Tarihi Hamam’da define aradılar” (Treasure hunted in the historic bathhouse), 11 October 2012 (Memurlar.net). https://www.memurlar.net/haber/294586/tarihi-hamam-da-define-aradilar.html
- Sungurlu Gazetesi, “Sungurlu Tarihi Hamamı: Tam 256 yıl hizmet verdi” (The bathhouse served for exactly 256 years), 17 March 2025. https://www.sungurlugazetesi.net/sungurlu-tarihi-hamami-tam-256-yil-hizmet-verdi/5656/
- Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, “Manevi Huzurum Çorum” brochures. https://www.kulturportali.gov.tr/Common/DownloadFile.aspx?f=manevihuzurumcorum.compressed_20160414113807476.pdf ; https://corum.ktb.gov.tr/Eklenti/49801,inancturizmikkkpdf.pdf?0