Vakil Bathhouse

Vakil Bath, Wakil Bath, or Wakil Hammam (Persian: حمام وکیل) is an ancient public bathhouse (hammam) in Shiraz, Iran. It was a part of the royal district constructed during Karim Khan Zand's reign (1751–1779) which includes the Arg of Karim Khan, Vakil Bazaar, Vakil Mosque and many administrative buildings. It is located in the historical center of Shiraz on the west side of the Vakil Mosque.

Vakil Bath
حَمـّامِ وَکیل
the hot room (garmkhaneh) of the Vakil Bath
General information
Architectural style	Persian
Location	Shiraz, Iran
Coordinates	29.61477°N 52.54512°E / 29.61477; 52.54512
Construction started	mid 1760s
Completed	late 1760
Technical details
Structural system	Public Bath (Welfare)
Size	4,000 m² (presumed)
Design and construction
Architect	Karim Khan Zand
Engineer	A team of engineers all from Zand territories

The sarbineh (changing room or vestibule) of the baths

The hammam was originally intended for use by the nobility and continued to be in use up until the 20th century. After its closure as a bathhouse, it became an ethnographic museum with a series of costumed mannequins illustrating how Shirazis would have relaxed by the fountain after taking a bath.^[1]

It has since been restored and classified as a historic monument, inscribed with the number 917 on the list of national works of Iran.^[2]

Description

The bathhouse’s design includes a central courtyard with a pool that served both aesthetic and practical purposes. Its floors and walls are made of sarooj, a traditional waterproof mortar, ensuring the longevity of the structure.

The whole area is lighted by a series of bulbous glass skylights built in the vault pinnacles. Under the dome ceiling of the bath there are wall paintings featuring Persian mythology, epic, and religious narratives. ^[3]

William Francklin, English orientalist and army officer, who was in Shiraz a few years after the bathhouse had been built, left a survey of the construction.^[4]