Banys de l'Almirall, Medieval public bath in Ciutat Vella, Spain.
Banys de l'Almirall is a medieval public bathhouse in Ciutat Vella featuring three vaulted brick and concrete chambers with thick walls designed to retain heat and control moisture throughout the building. The rooms connect in sequence to function as a traditional hot bath facility.
This public bath was built in 1320 by knight Pere de Vila-rasa and served the local community for over six centuries until closing in 1959. Its long operation demonstrates how essential such facilities were to the medieval and early modern city.
The bathhouse reflects Islamic architectural traditions through its separate cold, warm, and hot chambers, a design that shaped medieval Valencia's built environment. This layout remains visible in how the rooms connect and function within the structure today.
The building is free to enter and located in the city center with several nearby bus routes for easy access. Following its 2001 renovation, the interior remains open to visitors, though the site offers limited seating or shelter inside.
The hot room features an octagonal dome with star-shaped skylights that direct light into the central chamber. This innovative lighting system was characteristic of advanced medieval bathhouses and creates a memorable visual effect.
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