The Kethüda Canfeda Hatun Baths are an Ottoman hammam in Beykoz District on the Asian shore of the upper Bosphorus in Istanbul, endowed by Canfeda Hatun, who held the rank of kethüda meaning steward or deputy, reflecting her significant position within the Ottoman palace hierarchy. Canfeda Hatun was a remarkable historical figure who served as kethüda to the Valide Sultan, the mother of the reigning sultan, and used her elevated status to endow charitable works in Istanbul. Her hammam in the wooded Bosphorus community of Beykoz attests to the significant role that imperial palace women and their deputies played in shaping the built environment of Ottoman Istanbul.
Insider tip — Kethüda Canfeda Hatun Hammam in Beykoz (Istanbul, Asian shore). The kethüda was the steward of a great Ottoman household, and Canfeda Hatun was a notable lady. Beykoz is a forested, residential district on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus, with its imperial palaces and pavilions surrounded by oak and beech forests.