Division Street Russian and Turkish Baths, Historic bathhouse in Wicker Park, Chicago, United States
Division Street Russian and Turkish Baths is a bathhouse with separate facilities for men and women offering traditional steaming and cold water immersion practices. The building features concrete and tile construction with hot rooms containing three-tiered wooden benches where guests select their preferred heat level, alongside cold pools for cooling down.
The bathhouse opened in 1906 as a community gathering place for Chicago's Eastern European population. It closed in 2010 and reopened the following year after undergoing renovations to restore its operations.
This establishment served as a gathering place for Chicago's Eastern European community, drawing writers and prominent figures who appreciated the traditional bathing customs. The social ritual of visiting the baths connected generations of neighborhood residents.
The facility allows visitors to choose their comfort level by selecting different bench heights in the hot rooms since temperature varies by elevation. Plan time to move between the steaming areas and cold pools to fully experience the bathing cycle.
Heated granite boulders set in brick ovens create steam when splashed with water, preserving the authentic Russian bathing method. This traditional heating approach contrasts with the mechanized systems found in most contemporary facilities.
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