Arab Baths
These baths were steam baths or hammans. They were used for both hygienic-sanitary needs and for other aspects of Islamic life. They were open at certain times for men and other times for women and some baths were connected to the nearby mosques. These baths have been considered the successors of Roman thermal baths, but with less monumental impact. Three important times have been detected in their construction: the first in mediaeval times, before the baths were founded, thought to be the remains of a dwelling; the second between the 12th and 13th centuries when the main body of the baths was built, formed by rectangular areas with a barrel vault and quadrangular skylights; and the third during the Marinid rule when the cold room was extended. The structure of the baths consists of various parts... The Patio, measuring 30 square metres, allowed access to the various rooms in the baths and the service staff access to the furnace and boiler area. The Cold Room, from the Marinid era, is in a rectangular shape, illuminated by quadrangular skylights open in the barrel vault used as a roof. The Warm Room, also in a rectangular shape, is connected through two openings to the cold and hot rooms. The Hot Room is of greater constructive complexity as it required an excavated area under the level of the floor through which hot air was circulated to raise the temperature. The Service Area mainly consists of the furnace, boiler and wood shed.