“What is the Russian Bania?” I asked this same question when I ran across an article about this historically influential steam bath. We hear about the Finnish Sauna regularly when we look into the health benefits of sweating. But not often the Russian Bania. So I found it interesting to learn the Russian Bania was developed around the same time as the Finnish Sauna without any collaboration between these two cultures.
A 1914 Finnish Museum Society paper reports Russians having more interest and sauna records than Finland. In fact, between 1877 and 1911, Russia’s medical community published over 30 papers describing the Bania’s cure-all healing effect. This attitude continues today in many villages throughout Russia.
The Bania would likely be an American household name today, rather than the Finnish Sauna, if it were not for the politics of the early 1900’s. The Russian curtain kept culture, tradition, and folklore concealed. To discover more about the Russian Bania click here.
You can receive the health benefits of saunas and steam baths today! Click here to order now.
Very interesting! I have been looking at your saunas for a while. It seems that this technology has changed quite a bit since the early 1900's. I like the fact that you dont have to cut down trees to heat these saunas. I was looking at the carbon fiber saunas and noticed that they are 1 thousand $'s more any reason for that? I know they heat up faster but is that all?
Posted by: Harris | Nov 25, 2008 at 05:49 PM
It's pretty neat how people figured out how to heal themselves in different ways. I would love to make something like this with my sauna.
Posted by: Candice Bradley | Apr 29, 2009 at 03:26 PM