Roman Hammam of Ain al-Arous

The Romans constructed a hammam above the sulphurous Ain al-Arous spring. It features a brick-clad heating chamber with a domed roof made up of two interlocking sections. There are also remains of an ancient, water-powered mill dating back to 1910. The Ottomans rehabilitated the hammam and added a ‘barani’ hall with mats. In 1935, the renowned archaeologist Sir Max Mallowan and his wife, the British author Agatha Christie, were so impressed by the azure waters and nostalgic atmosphere of the spring that she dedicated a chapter to it in her memoir Come Tell Me How You Live after visiting Ain al-Arous. Today, the hammam receives local visitors for spa treatments, and there are plans to cover it with a glass dome to enable winter tourism.