There can be few more pleasurable experiences than a good clean up at a traditional Russian banya. Russian banya or sauna is known as an exotic Russian tradition. It is known as a combination of dry sauna, steam bath, massage and plunges into ice-cold water. It is certainly a part of Russian culture and one of the widely accepted entertainments, even among modern urban people in Russia. People visit sauna because they want to wash themselves, chat with friends, rest, relax and feel good. Each Russian city has one or usually several state-owned and privately-owned banyas or steam houses.

Types of the Sauna

Swiss researcher of saunas Jan Bjarnhag distinguishes 4 types of sauna in terms of temperature and humidity. The first is dry sauna with the temperature of 90 to 110 C and humidity of 5 to 10%. The second is wet sauna with the temperature of 75 to 90 C and humidity of 20 to 35%. The third is steam sauna with the temperature of 45 to 65 C and humidity of 40 to 65%. And finally the last is steam bath with the temperature of 40 to 45 C and humidity of about 100%.
Russian banya perhaps refers to the third category in this division. However, there is a big difference between the steam sauna and Russian banya. Both may have the same temperatures, but the difference is in steam itself — in Russian banya it is dry and light while in steam sauna it is usually wet and heavy. The difference comes from the temperature of the stones. In Russian banya the temperature of the stones is about 800 C while in sauna it raises to about 200-300 C or even less — 100 to 200 C. Therefore, Russian banya is a separate and unique kind of sauna.

History of Russian Banya

Russian banya is a part of rich Russian traditions. Traditionally, there was no other way for people to clean up in Russian villages except banya.
Russian banya in the form we know it now was first mentioned about 200 years ago. In that time, banyas were already were widely spread in Russian cities and villages. Now they become less a necessity but more a traditional entertainment. If you want to get into the core of Russia, visit banya. You wouldn’t regret a couple hours of hard sweat!

Inside Russian Banya

When you get inside, you typically see a small office where you can pay for the visit and order towels, optional massage, beer, snacks etc. Then you come into the changing room. There are usually two separate changing rooms for men and women. In most banyas, you may leave your valuables with an attendant.
The next room you come in is usually the washing room. In this room you may clean up and prepare for a round in a steam room called ‘parilka’ in Russian. Outside the steam room you may find a bundle of dried birch leaves called ‘venik’ that Russians enthusiastically beat themselves with while in steam room. You may beat yourself or lie on the wooden bench and ask your companion to beat you. This beating is not hard, one usually feels very good after it. This procedure is said to help open the pores and rid the body off toxins. For those who won’t like to be beaten, it is fine to concentrate on sweating. When it is very hot in the steam room, one should better wear a felt hat to protect hair.
When you feel it is too hot to tolerate it anymore, go out and dip into a swimming pool with cold water. If there is no swimming pool, just pour out a bucket of cold water at yourself. The sensation is amazing! After that you may clean up and go out or have another round in a steam room.
If you decide to go out, you may prefer the optional massage or a restorative cup of tea and snacks. They may be ordered from the attendants.
Russians like to relax after the banya with the companions. They usually order beer or even some vodka and snacks. They may chat and drink for another couple hours.

Tips for Banya Visitors

- If you have some health problems like heart disease or hypertension, be careful. Don’t spend much time in the hot banya and avoid alcohol drinks!
- We do not recommend eating much or drinking alcohol before visiting banya. Your body is working hard digesting heavy meals and the sauna is an additional burden. If you want to eat before banya, have some light meals like boiled potato or vegetable salad. It is better to eat 2 hours before banya.
- Recommended drinks after banya: juice, tea and beer.
- The drinks should not be very cold. If you consume very cold beverages after the sauna, you may get cold. They should be cool, not cold.
- If you do not want to be beaten with the venik, it is OK to refuse. You may also try to do it yourself for the first time. However it does not hurt and one feels good after it.

Evgeniya Stroganova