Arab Baths of Ronda, Medieval thermal baths in Ronda, Spain.
The Arab Baths of Ronda are a medieval bathing facility with three distinct chamber spaces connected by horseshoe arches. Star-shaped glass openings in the vaulted ceilings allow light to filter into the interior spaces.
The baths were built in the 13th century under Almohad rule, a dynasty from North Africa. After the Christian conquest, the boiler room was converted to a leather tannery, but the bathing chambers themselves survived.
The baths show how people in the medieval period bathed and cared for their bodies in their daily lives. You can see today how the system was thoughtfully designed and how important water and cleanliness were to the community.
The baths are located in Ronda's old town and are easily accessible on foot from the main streets. A short video presentation on site explains how the water distribution system functioned.
The system used a waterwheel that pumped water from a nearby stream and distributed it through a network of clay pipes into the different pools. This engineering feat shows how advanced medieval Islamic technology was at the time.
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