Sauna

Imagine this: you are invited to take off all your clothes and go to a little room heated to almost 100 Cº, where you will sit, naked, with others for a while and sweat. Then you are asked to go outside and jump (maybe still naked) into the sea or lake and refresh yourselves in the freezing water… maybe you think that this will this be your last visit to Finland? Don’t be afraid, it won’t be like this (on you first visit). And we can assure that you will remember you sauna trip as one of the positive experiences. Read more and relax.

Through the ages people have taken sweat baths in different forms and for different purposes:

• religious ceremonies
• healing illnesses
• bodily cleaning
• relaxation
• social life

If you want to know more, check the webpage of the Finnish Sauna Society and prepare to meet the curing steam and heat! There is also a good sauna guide on the site, you’ll find it here: A Recommended Sauna Procedure.

Here’s a short dictionary of Finnsh sauna words:

• sauna – Finnish style sweat bath
• savusauna – Smoke sauna: the original form of sauna with no chimney. While being heated the smoke from the burning wood under the stove fills the sauna and escapes through a hole in the ceiling (lakeinen) and through the door which is usually kept slightly open during heating.
• kiuas – Sauna stove
• kiuaskivet – Stones in the sauna stove
• löyly 1) Steam or vapour created by throwing water on the stones of the stove 2) The heat, humidity and temperature in the sauna in general
• vihta, vasta – Whisk, made of birch (or similar) twigs. Used for beating the body in the hot room to stimulate the feel of the löyly.
• lauteet – Elevated platform to sit on in the hot room (the physical fact is that warm air rises)

Public saunas in Helsinki

• Harjutori
• Arla sauna
• Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall, Yrjönkatu 21 B – The historic Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall offers an unforgettable swimming experience in luxurious surroundings. You can even swim naked – men and women separately, of course.