Public sauna culture in Helsinki is full of historical gems and new urban icons. A small room, heated stones, cold water – and the Finnish rebirth ritual may begin!
While some of the oldest written evidence of saunas dates back to the early 12th century, modern statistics claim that Finland has an average of one sauna per household. For Finns, the sauna is likely the most frequent answer to all mishaps and joys, the country’s most pleasant and healthy habit, and a national lifestyle treasure worthy of UNESCO heritage status. It’s also linked with sisu – the Finnish concept of stoic determination, grit, persistence, and stamina. Luckily, anyone can train their inner strength and sense of internal balance, and the first step can be a visit to a sauna. Contrasting hot steam with dips in ice-cold water tempers the character, strengthens the body, and is a fun and relaxing ritual.
In central Helsinki, the urban explorer can still find a few historical gems to experience an authentic public sauna session. These are mostly hidden in the courtyards of high-rise buildings, and their appearance has nothing in common with the glamorous spa interiors of today. Yet visiting such a sauna brings you one step closer to the local urban culture. Public saunas emerged with the rapid flow of citizens from the countryside to the capital, and by 1907 Helsinki boasted 49 public saunas. But once indoor plumbing and showers became widespread in apartments, the popularity of such facilities decreased, until the younger generations and tourists helped to revive the tradition in the 2000s.
The hip Kallio district is home to Kotiharjun Sauna (Harjutorinkatu 1), founded in 1928 and the last remaining wood-heated sauna in town. Renovated in 1999, its concept with separate saunas for men and women has remained unchanged. The stones around the stove weigh about 1500 kilograms, and the iron itself weighs 800 kilograms. The venue also offers massages and cupping treatment sessions. The entrance to Kotiharjun, where you’ll regularly see a bunch of towel-wrapped characters cooling off outside right on the side of the street, looks like a scene straight out of an Aki Kaurismäki film.
Tucked away in a cosy courtyard behind an imposing iron gate, the atmospheric Sauna Arla (Kaarlenkatu 15) with its gas-fired stoves is a year younger than Kotiharjun and offers the same rituals. Arla’s trademark is its metal wash basins, where water can be mixed to a suitable temperature depending on each visitor’s preference. Here you can bring your own food and drinks or buy some at the desk.
The demand for new public saunas has been increasing lately. In contrast to historical saunas, the wooden architectural marvel that is the Löyly sauna attracts guests with a terrace, bar, restaurant, and picture-perfect views of the sea. Another public facility, Lonna Sauna, is located on tiny, 150-metre-long Lonna Island just a ten-minute water bus ride from Helsinki Central Market and features a log cabin with a wood-burning stove. The sauna accommodates 12 guests per two-hour sauna session and has a large terrace overlooking the surrounding islands. Just don’t forget to say Olipas hyvät löylyt! (‘That was one great sauna session!’) at the end and enjoy the feeling of being reborn and fully prepared to conquer all the other welcoming sights in Helsinki.