The history of saunasThe history of saunas
Nowadays, saunas are considered a sign of luxury, and whilst they are more affordable than ever before, having your very own sauna installed at home is associated with modern future ready living.
Quite ironic really, considering that saunas are known to have been built and used in Finland for over 2000 years.
Ok, so these original saunas dug into the earth and lined with stone might not have had the Bluetooth speakers and chromotherapy options available with a modern home sauna, the concept of using heat and perspiration for health purposes certainly isn’t a new one.
The history of the sauna is long and remarkable, so read on to learn more about how they have been used and developed over the centuries into the modern health and wellness tool we know today.
The roots of heat therapy
Even before the sauna itself become a concept, humans were using fire for healing purposes. Heat structures were created in Africa, for example, to help the body sweat and rid itself of infection.
Most of the practices and medical opinions of our ancient ancestors in terms of health would be seen as unthinkable in the modern day of scientific research, but the concept of the sauna and using heat to heal and optimise health has only grown stronger over the millennia. It is truly remarkable how an idea as old as heat therapy is considered a cornerstone of recovery for cutting edge sports teams and pro athletes in the modern day and more and more benefits of sauna use are begin discovered year after year.
The invention of the Finnish Sauna
Sauna structures first appeared around 2000 years ago, although there is some research that suggests that the tradition of using saunas in Finland could date back as far as 7000BC!
These first structures were not the wooden clad cabins that Finnish saunas are now known as but were small spaces, dug into the earth, clad with stone and heated with fire. Water was then poured over the stone to create steam.
Whilst the saunas of today can be made from almost any building material and are heated, in the main, using electricity, or even infrared light the concept remains the same, and saunas remain an integral part of Finnish culture.
In fact, there is an average of one sauna for every household in Finland, and any property without one is seen as below standard and in need of an upgrade. With over 3 million saunas in a nation of just 5 million people, sauna culture is incredibly strong in Finland who have been highlighting the health and community building benefits they can provide for quite a long time.
The roman baths
The Finnish might be the founding fathers of the modern sauna, but they weren’t the only people to have recognised the benefits of steam for health many centuries ago.
Roman baths for example, are incredibly famous and whilst these were often massive rooms, much larger than the average Finnish sauna, both were built on the concept of cleansing the body and socialising in a hot and steamy environment.
Bathhouses were a fundamental part of the most powerful civilisation to ever exist on earth and what was originally designed to keep the people healthy by cleansing their body of pollutants (yet again one of the primary benefits of modern home sauna use) they quickly became a fantastic meeting place for social gatherings.
Global influence
The Finnish sauna and the Roman bathhouse regularly get the credit for putting the wheels of sauna culture in motions, and whilst they certainly played a big part, there are many other influences from across the globe that shouldn’t be forgotten.
During the Ottoman empire, for example, the Turkish Hamman was created, an ornately decorated bathhouse used to relax and reach a deeper state of spiritual purification.
This idea of bringing mind, spirit, and body closer together through heat has been part of many cultures since time begun from South America to Asia to Africa and everywhere in-between.
With modern infrared saunas not making heat treatment more accessible and affordable than ever to the average homeowner in the UK, this shows no sign of changing any time soon, and saunas remain one of the most popular options at any spa resort or high end gym.
If you are interested in having a sauna installed in your own property, get in touch with our team today and we will be delighted to help you out. We have sauna and steam room designs to fit any space or aesthetic, from an outdoor sauna fitted on your patio and taking up remarkably little of your outdoor space to complete bathroom renovation, turning one of the rooms in your home into the wood clad environment enjoyed by Finnish people for all these years past.