Historical Mazlum Aga Bath (Pushkin Bath)

History and General Information / Local Legends and Folklore The historical Mazlum Ağa Bath is one of the most elegant representatives of the 18th century classical Ottoman bath architecture, located in the ancient Kaleiçi District on the banks of the Kars Stream, at the foot of the historical Stone Bridge and Kars Castle. The bath, built by Mazlum Ağa, keeps the water culture of the period alive with its cut basalt stones, domed hot sections, navel stone and light-eyed dome windows. The most important place of this historical building in the world cultural history is that Aleksandr Pushkin, the founder of the world-famous Russian literature, visited this bath during his trip to Erzurum and Kars in 1829. Pushkin praised this bath in his immortal work called 'Journey to Erzurum' (Puteshestvie v Arzrum); He introduced the domed architecture of the bath, hot water marbles and the Turkish bath ritual to the world in a literary language. For this reason, the building is also known as the 'Pushkin Bath' among the public and literary circles. The building, which was restored and opened to tourism within the scope of the Historical Texture Preservation Project of Kars Governorship, is the living cultural memory of Kars. Geographical Structure, Altitude and Natural Features It is located in the city center of Kars, on the southern shore of the Kars Stream and on the western slopes of the Kars Castle, at an altitude of approximately 1,745 meters. It creates a fascinating historical silhouette with the Historical Stone Bridge, Muradiye Bath and Ottoman mansions next to it. Visiting Hours, Days and Entrance Fees