On
the right hand side of the Puente Viejo (the old bridge over the Tajo),
a rustic narrow staircase leads down to the Arab baths, doubtless the first
in the city, built in the 13th century during the Nazarite caliphate. These
baths are amongst the best preserved in Andalusia.
There are three main rooms: the first contains the recently restored remains of the chimney used to evacuate steam and hot air as well as the smoke from the boiler used to heat water.
The largest room, the "hipostila", is the most beautiful in
the building.