Ottoman bath-house/WWII Italian graffiti

[Administrator]

In what was the old Turkish quarter of Castellorizo, just near the foot of the castle, there still stands a small domed hamam, or bath-house, that dates form the late 17th/early 18th centuries. This is one of only 60 such surviving hamams in Greece.

Somewhat ironically, the hamam is now used by the Greek military as an observation post across to Turkey. Those who have taken a look inside the small chamber may have noticed some WWII Italian graffiti on the walls from a time when the hamam was used as a lookout for Allied attack. Here is an example:



The words 'credere, obbedire, combattere' ('believe, obey, do battle') were a common battle-cry among the Italian military in WWII (the words were first used by Mussolini himself) and are a poignant reminder today of the wartime experiences of Italian servicemen on the island.

Nicholas

[Administrator]

Further to my earlier post, here is an image that shows clearly where the hamam is to be found.



Nicholas

[Administrator]

Further to previous posts, here is another image of the Italian graffiti still in situ on the inner walls of the bath-house, this example reminding the servicemen of the dangers of smoking:



Nicholas

[Administrator]

Some Italian soldiers chose to record their names within the hamam in a style reminiscent of ancient times:



Nicholas