Ancient Bath centre, Plovdiv, A hamam in Plovdiv.

The Ancient Bath centre in Plovdiv is a 16th-century building that once served as a Turkish bath and now hosts contemporary art exhibitions. The structure features thick stone walls, brickwork, and a large central dome, with modern artworks installed within this historic setting.

The building was constructed during Ottoman rule in the 16th century and served hundreds of people daily as a public bath. After restoration work in the 1990s, it was converted into an art exhibition space and is now managed by the City Gallery.

The name Chifte, Turkish for "double", comes from its two separate sections, one for men and one for women. In the men's dressing room, graffiti drawings of geometric and floral shapes were scratched in graphite, probably in the early 20th century. The building was also known as Chelebi kadiya.

The bathhouse stands at the intersection of "Sixth September" and "Tsar Boris III – Unifier" boulevards, at the northern foot of the Three Hills, not in the Old Town. The one-storey stone building has a quadrilateral plan with domes pierced by light openings; look for Roman reliefs built into the exterior walls.

Today, the City Gallery team uses the space for contemporary art exhibitions and workshops, showing how historic buildings can gain new life. This transformation blends the past with modern creative expression, making it a distinctive part of Plovdiv's cultural scene.