Gazi Mehmet Pasha Hammam

Commissioned by Gazi Mehmet Pasha, an Ottoman governor of Prizren, the hammam was built in the mid-15th century as part of a larger civic complex that included a mosque and madrasa. It served as a public bathhouse for centuries, offering ritual cleansing and social interaction in accordance with Islamic tradition.

The hammam features domed ceilings, stone arches, and heated chambers, all preserved through careful restoration. In the 1970s, it was repurposed as Prizren’s Archaeological Museum, housing artifacts that span thousands of years of regional history.

Exhibits include Illyrian tools, Roman coins, Byzantine religious items, and Ottoman ceramics, each curated to reflect the city’s civilizational layers. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, educational programs, and cultural events.

Walking through the hammam’s chambers, visitors experience both the architectural rhythm of Ottoman civic life and the tactile presence of Prizren’s ancient past. It remains one of the city’s most evocative heritage sites.