What is a Banya?

Banya is similar to a Finnish sauna. Both sauna and banya have been enjoyed by people in Northern-Europe for centuries. Sauna has its roots in Finland and Banya in Russia. Both have extensive health benefits including improved cardiovascular health, stress relief, improved sleep, muscle recovery and socialisation. 

A sauna and a banya are traditionally heated with a wood burning sauna stove, however nowadays electric heaters are also a popular heating method. The interior is typically cladded with wood such as aspen, alder or cedar, and water is thrown onto the hot stones in the heater to create the steam rising from it. 

A sauna is typically at +70 - 90°C, but can be higher. In a Banya, the temperature is usually kept at around +70°C and the humidity is higher than in a sauna, falling between 40- 60% . Using whisks, “venik” in Russian and “vihta” in Finnish, is common in a sauna and banya. Alternating between cold and hot is also a mutual factor between the sauna and banya. 

Banya and Sauna Installations