Unesco highlights the intangible but very real spirit of Finnish sauna culture
“Sauna culture in Finland” is on the Unesco list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. What does that mean, and what does the sauna represent to Finnish people?
Finnish city of Tampere declares itself sauna capital of the world
Tampereans are known for authenticity and warmth, and the same goes for Tampere’s sauna culture. In the sauna, everyone is equal, as the Finnish saying goes, and Tampere has the largest number of public saunas in Finland. And if you’re the sauna capital of Finland, you’re the sauna capital of the world.
Along with “sisu” (the Finnish combination of guts and perseverance), “sauna” is one of the words most closely connected with the essence of Finnishness. The author of a sauna cookbook – yes, of course there’s a sauna cookbook – shares her tips.
The Finnish sauna is getting a makeover as new venues offer creative takes on the traditional steam bath. Here’s a guide to some pretty awesome saunas.
For many Finns, winter is the time for swimming in freezing water, in holes cut in the ice. There’s even a national championship. What on earth makes people want to do this?
