The closing of Gellért creates a trio of shuttered historical baths in Budapest.Credit...Balazs Mohai/EPA, via Shutterstock
Why Is the ‘City of Baths’ Running Out of Bathhouses? In Budapest, political disputes and aging infrastructure have led to cascading problems, and prolonged closings, at several of the city’s beloved baths.
The Ottoman-era bath at Rudas, during coed hours.Credit...Akos Stiller for The New York Times
AI Overview
"Cities of Bathing" refer to places globally renowned for their bathing culture, like Bath, UK (Roman spas), Yangzhou, China (birthplace of southern Chinese bathing), Mohenjo-daro, Pakistan (oldest known bathhouse), and cities with vibrant jimjilbang culture like Seoul, South Korea, showcasing diverse traditions from ancient rituals to modern social hubs, often tied to natural springs or sophisticated public facilities for hygiene, healing, and community.
Historic & Spa Cities:
Bath, UK: Famous for its Roman Baths, a historic spa complex and a World Heritage site, blending ancient thermal waters with Georgian architecture.
Yangzhou, China: Considered the heart of Chinese bathing culture, known for elaborate bathhouses and unique scrubbing techniques (like "Eight Light, Eight Heavy").
Ancient Cities: Cities like those in the Indus Valley (Mohenjo-daro), Greece (Crete, Akrotiri), and Rome (Pompeii) featured elaborate public baths connected to gyms and temples, as noted by ArchDaily and Wikipedia.
Modern & Cultural Hubs:
Seoul, South Korea: Features expansive jimjilbangs (bathhouses) and mogyoktangs with various saunas, steam rooms, and social spaces, making bathing a key social activity.
Japan & Taiwan: Known for onsen (hot springs) and traditional public baths (yuya), evolving from communal to more private settings, influenced by history and local customs.
Other Meanings:
"City Bathing" (Practice): A contemporary mindfulness practice (citybathing.com) focused on finding presence and sensory engagement within urban environments, treating the city itself as a bathing experience.
These cities highlight how bathing moved from necessity to sacred ritual, social gathering, and even modern-day urban mindfulness across different cultures and eras, The Standard Hotels.
