Kars to restore historic Mazlum Ağa Hamamı with 27 million TL investment

The historic Mazlum Ağa Hamamı in Kars, Turkey, will undergo a 27 million TL restoration project to return the 18th-century Ottoman structure to its original function. The project is a collaborative effort between the Eastern Anatolia Project (DAP) Regional Development Administration and the Kars Special Provincial Administration.

DAP will provide approximately 11.7 million TL, covering 43.31% of the budget, while the Kars Special Provincial Administration will finance the remaining 15.3 million TL. The restoration aims to preserve the building's unique basalt stone architecture and double-domed structure, which includes distinct warm, hot, and cold sections.

Located by the Kars River, the bathhouse holds significant cultural value, including a section known as the ‘Honorary Place’ where the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin is said to have bathed. Once completed, the facility is expected to serve 50,000 visitors annually and provide employment for 10 people, contributing to Kars' growing tourism sector.