Norwegian Sauna Culture

In the article “Norwegian sauna culture”, I go through the basic features of Norwegian sauna culture. This article is the result of my research and interviews, not the ultimate truth. For this post, I have read newspaper articles, as well as blog posts and interviewed a few Finns living in Norway.

There is not much talk about Norwegian sauna culture in Finland. The only references to the subject are old jokes in which Finns, Norwegians and Swedes compete in sauna. Usually in these jokes, the Norwegian ends up being the laughingstock.

On a more serious note, it is good to keep in mind that no one takes a sauna the same way every time. One time you might like a hot sauna and the other time you want to enjoy a gentler steam. This is definitely the case for everyone, regardless of nationality.

History of the sauna in Norway

As I understand it, Norway used to have a sauna culture in the past. One sign of that are the really old smoke saunas that you can still find in some parts of the country. I read that unfortunately some of these old smoke saunas were burned down at some point. I do not know for sure whether this is true and what the reasons behind that were. If you know anything about the topic, please let me know.

Saunaing and sauna culture are on the rise in Norway. The “sauna boom” has been going on for a couple of years now. Public, floating and seaside saunas, all of these have become increasingly common in Norway.

Norwegians have a lot of holiday cottages, but (unlike Finnish cottages) they usually do not have a sauna. As a Finn, one easily thinks that a cottage without a sauna is not a real cottage. However, this is likely to change if the sauna boom continues in Norway.

Norwegians are avid swimmers. Norway has a lot of coastline, so many Norwegians are accustomed to swimming in the ocean. They are not afraid of cold or icy water.

Many Norwegians have built a sauna in their homes. This trend began in already in the 80s. Maybe the sauna is thought to add value to the house?

In the Norwegian sauna

Several Finns told me that a Norwegian sauna doesn’t even resemble a “real” sauna. Although the sauna experience is similar to that in a Finnish sauna; in both countries the sauna is warm and sweaty.

Saunas can be found in public swimming pools and spas, gyms, hotels and private homes. There are also more and more public saunas. In Oslo, for example, there are public saunas right next to the Opera House.

Some public saunas have rules that prohibit pouring water on the sauna stove. This, of course, annoys us Finns. Some Finns I interviewed told me that they bring their own water with them in a bottle when they go to a Norwegian sauna.

The reason why pouring water is prohibited is that resistors might break. However, there is an easy solution to the problem. The stove just needs enough stones so the resistors are completely covered!

Because of the rule, many Norwegians have learned that they should not pour water on the stove themselves. Some saunas may host steam moments, or “Aufguses” in the German way. The sauna masters come in, wave a towel and give a “sauna show.”

Some Norwegians also use an hourglass to monitor how long they stay in a sauna.

I think they should be reminded of what the purpose of a sauna is. You do not have to stay in the sauna for a certain amount of time, and it is not a competition.

Towels or a swimsuit are worn in mixed saunas.

Sauna boom

New public and more special saunas have been built in Norway at an accelerating pace. For example, in the center of Oslo, Trondheim and Bergen.

Sauna culture is growing and developing all the time. Sauna lovers are different, and everyone has their own tastes. You can’t say someone doesn’t know how to have a sauna properly. Everyone takes a sauna in their own way.

There are many sauna clubs and events in Norway. They usually require membership, and some don’t even admit new members at the moment.

The Folkebadstue is held usually once a month and you can use the sauna for a fee. Sauna clubs operate on a voluntary basis and there may not be enough resources to handle the increasing demand.

One of the world’s largest public saunas is in Norway (built in 2015). Ardna sauna, which can accommodate up to 100 people.

Read more: The biggest saunas in the world.

Saunas for hikers

If you are planning to go hiking in Norway, you might want to check out the best saunas. Here are some useful websites for hikers.

Read more: Nationalparks.fi

Having a sauna

Birch whisk is used in some places. Some may use eucalyptus tree leaves.

The Finnish Church of Norway organizes a sauna evening every third Thursday of the month in the floating sauna Anda behind the Oslo Opera House.

Saunas

Timo Parviainen from Finland builds high-quality luxury saunas in Norway. Whilst working in Norway, he has run into one problem. Norwegian legislation requires that the sauna be ventilated differently than in Finland.

Several Norwegians have complained about not being able to stay in the sauna for longer periods of time. They think they can’t stand the heat when in fact the sauna runs out of oxygen.

Read More: Finsk Badstumester

Saunan rakentajat maailmalla — *© Finsk Badstumester*

Norwegians are willing to pay for luxury. They may want a sauna with TV and speakers. Parviainen supplies wood for saunas from Finland. He only gets screws and nails from Norway. Parviainen’s beautiful saunas are certainly a good advertisement for Finnish sauna companies and sauna culture.

“The Norwegian sauna culture”-article reviewed some of the special features that Norwegian sauna culture has. Saunas are not very common in Norway. However, this is about to change as the sauna boom is in full swing.