Swedish bath - features of arrangement and heating, benefits of visiting

Swedish bath bastu

(from Swedish “badstuga” - “baths”) is a unique combination of convenience and comfort. Its feature is the free circulation of air provided by a special ventilation system. Thanks to this, steamers can breathe easily and freely, even while in the sauna.

Considering the features of the Swedish bath, it is worth highlighting the constant movement of air masses. All rooms are regularly ventilated and dried. The structure of a Swedish bath is similar to an inverted glass.

Heating was carried out according to the following scheme:

There were several cracks in the floor of the bathhouse opening onto the street.
The air in the lower part of the steam room passed through the stove and was heated.
Heated air masses rose upward, filled the steam room and pushed the cold through these cracks.

It is interesting that the principle of construction in the form of an “inverted glass” is still used today, but in a more modern design.

Features of a Swedish bath

The distinctive features of bastu are its mobility and small dimensions. It takes only a few hours to assemble this structure. It is easy to control, so it is often installed in private houses and even apartments (less often in verandas). In Sweden, such baths are very popular; they are installed in gyms, swimming pools, etc.

Interesting!
Bastu should not only be practical, but also have an attractive design.
That is why glass doors are often used for furnishing. Swedes value coziness and naturalness in their rooms, so a traditional basta cannot be imagined without a full set of bath accessories. These include lamps, thermometers, and tubs carved from wood for water.

How I took a steam bath in the nudist baths of Austria

I wanted to touch on a slightly fun topic about how the Austrians usually take baths. I had to overcome myself and plunge into the nudist theme - visit the public baths. Shock and embarrassment. Yes, it’s customary for them to go naked to saunas, and then plop into the pool.

Then I went to sauna events: they whipped me with a hot flag, smeared me with a sticky, prickly and cold thing, and forced me to sit naked in a sauna for 20 minutes.

I did this only for you, to write this story! Of course I didn't take any photos.

Holidays in Bad Ischl

In the fall, Lena and I had a decorous and aristocratic holiday at the wonderful resort of Bad Ischl in Austria. People come to this retirement town for the thermal springs. How can you live in Bad Ischl and not improve your health?

We collected towels and bathing accessories and headed to the Eurothermen baths.

Eurothermen thermal springs

I'll tell you the system briefly. At the entrance you pay a ticket of €16 for 4 hours. You are given a bracelet watch. You apply them to the turnstile and the time is up. If you dare to take off all your clothes and go to the nudist area, you will be charged another €7.5 for the whole day. They will need to be paid upon departure.

We go to the locker rooms. They are common. Here and there naked bodies flash. Of course, we changed clothes in the cabins. I didn’t tell Lena that there was a cult of naturalists here, but she began to guess.

Then we disperse to separate showers and meet near the pools.

Thermal pool complex

Main pool (Photo by Daria Pismenyuk)

I'll tell you about the pools. (Most of the photos are from Daria Pismenyuk). At the entrance we are greeted by a warm swimming pool with mineral water. We immediately plop into it. So glad! Along the edges there are underwater loungers with a Jacuzzi, fountains for the back and neck.

Going outside (Photo by Daria Pismenyuk)

Next we go outside for a swim. Through such a polyethylene portal we enter the cold evening air. It is drizzling, but the water is warm.

Outdoor pool (Photo by Daria Pismenyuk)

We made a circle in the outdoor pool. That's not all! There is a river with a current. She immediately takes us to an unknown place. We swim into the salt cave. Warm, a lot of steam, salt on the walls and ceiling. It's good to breathe some air there.

We swim further - open underwater sunbeds. But it’s already evening and we’re not interested in them.

The next stop is again a salt cave. Most likely there is some other salt in there. We played with the underwater currents and swam another circle along the river. The head is cold, but the body is warm. We are afraid of catching a cold and go to warm up in the jacuzzi.

In the small pool there are various Jacuzzis in a circle. Either a stream in the back, or in the ass. Pensioners are evenly distributed around the perimeter. By the way, we arrived already at eight o'clock. Grandparents are slowly leaving, and young people are arriving. This is good! After all, I still have to go to the nudist zone. I don't want to traumatize the psyche.

He left Lena to warm up in the jacuzzi, and he went to show off his charms in the nudist zone.

Nudist zone

I go through the turnstile. The display says that I will be charged about €7 more. I open the doors. They say that you are crossing a nudist zone and it would not hurt you to undress. At the entrance there is a large hall with sun loungers. Some are cooling down after the bath, others are just reading the newspaper. I exposed myself and covered myself with a towel just in case. I rinsed off in the shower and went to the saunas.

How many saunas are there! I walked around for about 10 minutes and studied them. I went to each one. You must remove your slippers upon entry. You cannot sit on your butt on wooden surfaces. All places where the skin comes into contact with the wood must be covered with a towel! That is, put it under your butt and legs.

Kaiser sauna, Country house sauna, Mine sauna, Gallery sauna, Stone bath, Steam bath, Saltwater inhalation grotto, Infrared cabins, Large saltwater pool, Hot whirlpool, Cold pool.

I don’t remember which sauna is called. Choose from the list above according to your meaning. At the entrance there are signs everywhere: what it’s called, what the temperature and humidity are, how long you need to stay there.

I went into the first sauna. I looked at how everyone was laying out towels. I did the same. It seemed like no one was looking sideways at me. There were no grandmothers. There were ladies and men with decent physiques. Hot.

I went into the next sauna. It's not so hot there anymore. I sat and warmed myself. There are several girls around. One of them lies with her legs bent at the knees. He became embarrassed and moved on.

I looked into the bathhouse. It’s very humid and not hot – I’ll come here for the last time. I'm walking down the corridor. On the right, men are splashing in the jacuzzi. I don’t want to go to them After every sauna you need to take a shower - I took a shower.

Next is the infrared sauna. Two women are sitting. Will not go.

What is this foggy glass door? He opened it and went in. Still nothing is visible because of the steam. Here, apparently, you need to stand and breathe. I don’t know how many people stood and breathed next to me - I didn’t see anything. I felt somehow uneasy. Came out.

Ahead is a large swimming pool for naturalists. A naked old man is splashing in the water. There - on the back, back on the stomach. There are still people around the edges. I'll buy it later if no one is there.

Then the bathhouse attendant came and it began!

The bathhouse attendant, with a towel on his hips, said something in German. Everyone obediently followed him. I came to get a report for you! I also had to go. What do I have to lose already?

Everyone went outside. It's kind of chilly there. There is another large round sauna outside! We all went there. The bathhouse attendant closed the door, put up some kind of sign, and turned over the hourglass. I realized that I was stuck here for at least 20 minutes.

Everyone sat in a circle on wooden benches opposite the trolley. The bath attendant turned up the heat. The temperature began to rise. People laid out their bodies on towels in a relaxed manner. I sat quietly, not showing much of my charms. On the top shelf at the level of my shoulders, a couple of men sat down and started a conversation with each other. I wasn’t very pleased to be near their scrotums and I moved away

While the temperature was rising, I timidly looked around at those around me. They were all quite young, 25-35 years old, with a pleasant build. There are slightly more men than women. How can I write more correctly? There is something to see

Queue for white powder

Meanwhile, the temperature is rising noticeably! The bathhouse attendant came in and kicked everyone out into the street. Everyone lined up. Everyone dipped their hand into the barrel. I took white powder. And rubbed it on his sweaty skin. What is this?

It was my turn. He scooped up the white powder with his hand. He began to rub it on his skin. The grains were very large. It tore my skin like sand. It's salt! Everyone went back to the sauna to sweat.

Why is the bath attendant waving the Austrian flag?

The show didn't end there. Now the temperature was already approaching 80. The bathhouse attendant came in. Brought a flag. Added essential oils. Why does he need a flag?

Not only did he bring the flag, but he also began to sing songs and wave it patriotically. It dawned on me - to make it even hotter! Now he approached everyone and waved the flag in front of their faces. The heat hit me so much that I was almost left without eyebrows and eyelashes. I'm already overheated. Time ran out and everyone began to leave. We took turns taking showers outside.

The crowd moved on in single file. Where to now? We went into a room with a swimming pool. Everyone takes turns diving into it. Me too. How cold the water is there! I instantly perked up and took off like a bullet. I've had enough for today. And Lena was tired of waiting.

When I came to her, I couldn’t say anything due to overheating. My body and I were in shock. I wanted to tell her everything and take her there, but it was already ten o’clock. Time to go home. That evening I slept like the dead.

Second round with the bathhouse attendant. Who will win?

The next evening I managed to persuade Lena to take off her clothes and go to the kingdom of naturalists. Yesterday I looked at the schedule of bathhouse performances. I've already been to the salt plant. Now let’s go together to learn some obscure German word

We are now taking bolder steps into the clothing-free zone. Lena quickly undressed and wrapped herself in a towel. The bathhouse attendant again calls you outside to the round sauna. Turns the heat back on.

What has the cheerful mass entertainer prepared for today?

We sat in a circle. Lena sits wrapped in a towel. I'm a little more relaxed. That's it... break. Everyone comes out. Lena had to part with her towel. There is a queue outside for the bathhouse attendant. Everyone approaches him and he carefully sprays liquid from a spray bottle in front and behind. What is it this time? Salt? No!

Mint water. The sensations are unusual. We go back to the sauna. It’s somehow strange - the air is hot, but the skin is cooled. Mint stings most in the folds, especially in the back

Not as extreme as yesterday with salt and flag. But at least they didn’t traumatize Lena’s psyche. She accepted nudism with dignity. She didn't feel very comfortable there. I’m already used to it.

He sent her to a normal pool, and he continued his experiments. I looked into the sauna, where the steam could make you hang an ax. I walked along the walls by touch. It seems like I didn’t run into anyone backwards. I swam naked in the pool - I love that. We also had a case in Kama

Warmed up in a not hot, damp bathhouse. The bathhouse attendant came and offered homemade strawberry jam for the stove. I don't know where to put it, so I refused.

Sticky bodies

Time for a new show! Everyone enters the wet room. There are tiled benches instead of wooden benches. There are no towels here anymore. Nothing can hide you from prying eyes! Everyone washed the bench from the shower and sat down.

Mr. bathhouse attendant gave everyone packs of sticky mass. Everyone diligently began to rub their thighs, legs, bellies, chests and arms. Well, me too. Lick it - it turns out it's honey. Okay, give me two!

I smeared myself properly and sat warming myself. The eyes themselves look at those around them. There are more women attending such spa treatments, young ones by the way. The main thing here is not to goof off. I can’t even imagine what I would have done if... But everything seemed to go well. Rinse off quickly in the shower. And then it’s already ten o’clock again – it’s time to go home.

Total

The thermal baths are definitely worth a visit. I did not touch upon the topic of health improvement here. There is a lot of information about this, but few personal impressions are shared. It’s not easy for me to pour out my soul to you either, but I took a risk - after all, today is April 1st. I won’t say what’s true and what’s fiction. Otherwise I’ll say that everything is true, and you’ll laugh at me. At the first opportunity I will visit the thermal baths again.

Heating system bastu

The stoves in the Swedish bath are significantly different from the usual stone stoves. They are heaters (that's what the Swedes call them). To heat a room using an electric stove, 35-40 minutes is enough. For those who prefer steam baths, stoves with an air steam generator are installed.

Some stoves can be controlled electronically. Thanks to this, you can turn the oven on or off and set its operating time. When visiting a Swedish sauna, the stove does not stop working – it maintains a certain temperature inside the steam room.

Features of Norwegian baths

In Norway, as in most northern countries, classic baths, which are free-standing, entirely wooden buildings, are popular. For their construction, special processed timber with wedge-shaped grooves cut into the logs is used. This allows for a reliable, high-quality connection, which improves the thermal efficiency of the walls. The erected structure is distinguished by its versatility, so it can be used not only as a bathhouse, but also as a temporary summer house in the country.

Features of the construction of a Norwegian bath:

use of completely environmentally friendly materials;
the walls are assembled from untreated logs with self-locking grooves;
use of classic brick stoves.

The use of modern construction technologies makes it possible to significantly simplify and speed up the construction of a Norwegian bathhouse on a personal plot. All logs are processed using special equipment in the factory, and subsequent assembly of the entire structure takes two to three days.

Such a bathhouse does not require caulking, and all the homeowner will need to do is treat the wood with special impregnations to prevent rot and pests every few years.

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Comparison of traditional bastu with modern baths

Comparing the ancient bathhouse with modern buildings, several differences can be identified. So, instead of natural ventilation (slots), special openings are installed - one is located under the stove, the other is on the opposite side.

During construction, lining made of natural cedar or spruce wood is used for external wall cladding. These rocks have a pleasant fragrance when the temperature rises, moreover, they do not emit resin. To provide thermal insulation, foil or mineral fiber is used.

What are the advantages of bastu?

In ancient times, palaces and castles in the Vatican and Monaco were equipped with Swedish baths. Today they not only have not lost their merits, but have also significantly expanded their list.

So, the advantages of a Swedish bath include:

Possibility of arranging a small-sized bath complex in your own home;
Automated bastu control - just use the remote control to select the heating mode and temperature;
Swedish baths have been proven to be the safest in the world.

The benefits of regularly visiting bastu are obvious - strengthening the immune system, improving overall health, getting a boost of energy and good mood.

Interestingly, the Swedes do not usually use brooms or washcloths for steaming. They use special brushes with which you can achieve complete and deep cleansing of the skin. Today, bastu is settled not only in Sweden, it has become widespread all over the world, incl. in Russia.

But if a Russian bathhouse is important to you, then you can order the construction of a bathhouse from timber from our company. We build quickly and efficiently!

Naked and in the heat

I'm talking, of course, about the sauna.
The Swedes love saunas too, and the Icelanders have their thermal baths, but the Finns have taken sauna love to a whole new level. The sauna is the center of Finnish social life and the main place of relaxation. There is a sauna for every two Finns, and there are more than cars in the country, over 2.5 million. It is a meeting place where you can relax surrounded by family and friends. Both sexes. Simultaneously. Naked. Like in a pub or a village club. But naked. And in the heat.

The Finns say that their saunas are the hottest in the world, and any non-Finnish sauna is not a sauna at all. They mock the moderately warm temperatures of saunas in Sweden and say that this is another example of Swedish pampering. They consider anything below 80 degrees a “heated room.” The Finns are even organizing a world championship to see who can survive the longest at the highest temperature. Last year, one of the participants died in a sauna heated to 110 degrees. It was Russian.

Members of the Finnish parliament meet in the sauna weekly (I think they also have a regular meeting room). Since the days of Urho Kekkonen, who led the country during the Cold War era, there has been a tradition for the president to invite foreign leaders to spend an evening in the sauna during their visits to the country. (There’s nothing wrong with the fact that Angela Merkel immediately comes to mind, right?)

Having been brought up in 1970s England, I know that nudity is something to be ashamed of and ashamed of. It should be avoided: alone - whenever possible, and in public - absolutely and at all costs.

Innate caution has protected me from experimenting with saunas until today. But now I'm heading to the oldest wood-burning sauna, existing in Helsinki since 1929. It's not difficult to notice. Behind the low fence at the entrance, a group of men in terry robes or just towels had gathered, smoking and drinking beer from bottles.