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Chifte Banya

     Chifte Banya is a public bath in the central part of Kyustendil, built on the foundations of late medieval Turkish bath. The original Turkish bath was built in 1489 by Sulejman Pasha on the foundations of Pautalia Asclepion.

 

     In 1901 - 1902, municipal management decides to turn Kyustendil into European spa resort. Although the plan is not finalized, a number of activities have carried out. In 1910 the late medieval “Chifte hamam” is partly demolished and on its foundations was built a new modern urban bath with unique architecture, designed by architect Hristo Kovatchevski. The reconstruction of the bath was finished in September 1913.

 

     The building has two floors and consists of two divisions - male and female, each of which has three pools. The bath is supplied with hot mineral water. It is also used nowadays, and is intended for Spa – it offers all kinds of treatments, physiotherapy and massage. Around it is the park Banska Gradina with lots of trees and flowerbeds.

 


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Do you know that:

  • Kyustendil was the last of the big Bulgarian towns to fall under Ottoman rule.
  • the church “St. George” in Kyustendil is the oldest preserved medieval church in southwestern Bulgaria.
  • the first Bulgarian school in the town of Kyustendil was established in 1820 in the courtyard of the church “Virgin Mary’s Assumption”.