FINNISH SAUNA

ORIGINS OF SAUNA
There is nothing more Finnish than sauna, and many Finns think you can not grasp Finland or its culture without bathing in a sauna.


The sauna in Finland is an old phenomenon and is difficult to trace its roots. Bath houses were recorded in Europe during the same time period, but Finnish bathing habits were poorly documented until the 16th century. Because of the years of habitation and variant rule by Russia and Sweden, it is possible that the sauna custom evolved from them. It was during the Reformation in Scandinavia that the popularity of saunas expanded to other countries because the European bath houses were being destroyed. Hundreds of years ago, when bathing was something to be done only rarely or never at all, Finns were cleaning themselves in saunas at least once a week.

TYPES OF SAUNA

Smoke sauna

Smoke sauna:The savusauna (smoke sauna) is a special type of sauna without a chimney. Wood is burned in a particularly large stove and the smoke fills the room. When the sauna is hot enough, the fire is allowed to die and the smoke is ventilated out. The residual heat of the stove is enough for the duration of the sauna.

Wood stove sauna

Wood stove sauna: The wood stove sauna is the most common type of sauna outside of the city areas, where the electric sauna is more common. The metal stove with stones on top (kiuas) is heated with birch wood fire, and this heats the sauna room to the required temperature. If birch wood is not available any other wood will do, but well dried birch wood is preferred because of its good quality and smell, and long lasting burn. The important thing is to have a good löyly, that is when the stones are hot enough to evaporate the water thrown on them into steam that rises to the bathers. 

Electric sauna

Electric sauna: In city apartments, and in most public saunas, an electric sauna stove (kiuas) is used, as it does not require wood to burn. They are very simple to prepare, only a press of a button will do. They usually have stones to retain heat, like their smoke sauna and wood stove counterparts, but sometimes even a large slab of stone is used to give the same effect as you throw water on it.

Mobile saunas

Mobile saunas: Scouts and various other youth organizations often have portable tent saunas. Saunas have been built into cars, buses, car trailers, tractor trailers or even bicycles. In Finland, there are companies that rent mobile saunas, and an annual mobile sauna event in Teuva.

My personal opinion of this work is great because I went to Finland two years ago so it has been easy for me, I love this country so I am glad I got to do this essay because I have just loved every single part of it.

Webs: Finland, Wikipedia, BBC, WordReference