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| Finnish Sauna Culture—Not Just a Cliché |  The ins and outs of a true sauna
During many centuries, a lot of peoples have experienced sweat bathing. In a number of places this experience disappeared, in other places it was picked up over again.
The Finnish sauna is a sweat bath as well, but of a different type. It was impacted by various bath cultures though has created a number of really national elements.
The custom of sauna kept uninterrupted for more than 2 thousand years, is genuinely rooted in the people’s life. Bathing in sauna is an integral part of the Finnish character, the same as rye bread is the essential constituent of any traditional diet.
Finland - the homeland of the sauna
In fact, sauna originated from rural areas, but soon it became the part of urban way of life as well. Initially, town saunas were constructed outward the living area, then inward detached and terraced houses where they were used by all families residing in that house. In towns there were usually communal saunas.
The popular saying “share your tobacco and tinderbox, but not your sauna or woman” was unobserved in those times. Nowadays, that idea is getting respect and popularity back, as people like to own their personal saunas constructed in private apartments, even bed-sitters, with the bathroom used as the washing room.
Finns can’t imagine their lives without a sauna. They will do everything possible to take the sauna with them anywhere they go. Even during the war, Finnish soldiers built trench or tent sauna at any time possible.
Sauna has become an integral part of swimming baths, sport centers, hotels and even camping sites. A huge number of families own sauna cottages next to a lake or by the sea.
A company that wants to preserve the image of a flourishing business, obligatory must have its own a sauna or sauna set. In Finland, boats and car floats have provided their passengers with saunas for a long time, and even the prospect of train sauna is being researched. The amount of sauna kinds is rapidly raising and the only type, which has almost vanished, is the ñommunal sauna of the town.
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