The Russian Banya (Sauna) has a fundamental significance in the life of every Russian person and has its origins in ancient times. The Russian banya is a separate wooden structure that has a wood-burning stove, with a section of stones that are heated to high temperatures around the furnace.
The average temperature of the room is maintained around 70 to 80 degrees Celsius with some people even taking it to 100 degrees Celsius. As you know, the climate in almost all of Russia is cold, with short summers followed by long winters, when the body lacks heat and light.
And now imagine the delight of instantly being out of the freezing cold on the street in the “tropical” heat of the sauna. The body relaxes under the influence of high temperatures, water is fed to the hot stones, forming steam and users then utilize natural leaves in the form of a broom for skin treatment.
A broom is a pre-prepared set of dried branches with leaves of deciduous (birch, oak) or coniferous (fir, juniper) trees, tied in a small bundle. The Broom pumps even more heat to the body, and the many essential oils under high temperature are passed into the skin of the bather.
The essence of the Russian banya process is considered to be hardening to the body: when you go outside after the steam room and pour ice water on yourself.
To do this, you need to overcome your fear, gather the will and decide, and the reward will be an incredible feeling, as if through the body there are discharges of millions of needles of electric current, pleasantly tingling and massaging. It’s called Catharsis, a process by which a sudden and very extreme change in emotion results in renewal and restoration. No wonder the Russians have a saying: “A Banya a day keeps Old Age Away”
Don’t miss the opportunity to visit a real Russian Banya in winter along with the magical snow, this experience will rejuvenate and enliven you forever!
Author: Alexandr Boltinsky
Location : St.Petersburg
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