The portal of Amir Bashtak's hammam is the only surviving remnant from the original Mamluk bath. Now located about one and a half meters below ground level, the portal has a ribbed keel arch with the amir's blazon (a napkin, the blazon of the jamdar, or master of the robes), inlaid black & white marble strapwork, and a dated inscription. The interior, likely remodeled during the Ottoman period, retains many typical elements of bathhouse design. It may have originally been a double bath for men and women, but only one half survives; the men's half was in use until the early years of the 21st century, providing bathing facilities for people of the lower and middle classes who lived nearby.
Sources:
Warner, Nicholas. The monuments of historic Cairo: a map and descriptive catalogue, 133. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 2005.
Williams, Caroline. Islamic monuments in Cairo : the practical guide, 93. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 2008.
