Welcome to Tamam Restaurant

After the fall Hania (then called "La Canea" by the Venetians) to the Ottoman Empire in 1645, the set about an extensive building programme of converting Catholic churches to mosques and constructing numerous private and public baths (Hamam) and fountains.

The "Hamam" combines the tradition of the Roman and Byzantine baths with their underground hypocausts and clay pipes conveyng hot water and steam to the appropriate rooms. Three of these Turkish public baths still ramain today - but of course none are in operation! The building in Zambelion Street - next door to "Tamam" is obviously of the Venetian period as can be seen by the original rectangular window openings now blocked in and the very fine, round headed, stone window openings inserted by the Turks.

This baths building has six large hemispherical domes (without drums) and previously had an upper storey which was demolished by the bombing in 1941. Look through the grilles of the window openings and you can see the holes in the domes that allowed the hot steam to escape. The restaurant "Tamam" occupies what was the "cold plunge pool" section of the "Hamam" where one could enjoy a hot steam gath and a cold plunge afterwards you can now enjoy the unique cuisine and atmosphere of the Restaurant "Tamam".