The Oldest Sauna in Finland --Experience Sauna Steam in an 'Old Style' Surrounding

Visiting the Oldest Sauna in Finland

The old Rajaportti sauna is getting warm. It takes at least 5 hours to warm the oldest sauna in Finland.

Meanwhile the snow is coming down in constant flurries, The ambient temperature is -2 Celsius, and it is February in Finland. Just about the time when the days are getting to be noticeably longer.

Here is the oldest fully operational Finnish sauna which is over 100 years old. The activists in Tampere were opposed to tearing the structure down, so the local Finland sauna community revived it.

Exit the sauna to a cool place outside using this green door.

After cooling down, enjoy sweet pastries, vegan snacks, or beer, at the cafe building. The Finns advise: Eat a large meal after having a sauna. Having sauna with a full stomach may give you a feeling of discomfort.

Inside the oldest Sauna in Finland

It looks like this sauna stove is moulded into the wall. Definitely an atypical sauna stove design. The stove is split in two by a divider wall separating womens and mens seating rooms. Really ingenious.

Pouring water through this metal chute, feed the stove with water and creates that wonderful steam. The door gets opened and then you pour the water into the chute. That is what it means to throw on the water. Then walk up the stairs.

Stairs going up to men's seating room benches. After finishing your sauna, wash up under the seating loft. Water filled red pails provide the water to wash up since there are no showers. Bring soap, shampoo and a towel along. You do get clean.

Feed water into the stove using these stylish tool. Ready to throw on some water? Custom in this sauna is to ask,"May I throw on steam?" Voinko heitää löylyä? When you receive an answer, open the stove door, pour on the water, and walk up to the loft, choose a seat that fits your sauna needs.

Because of its' tall over 3m ceilings, and split room design, heat waves coming from the sauna stove travel slow and last long. Sitting up on the 2,5m mens loft I was waiting for heat to hit. After down-pour, counting slowly to 10...no heat wave!

Finally a not too harsh, heat wave hit. The hottest seats in the oldest sauna in Finland are in the far corners at the rear of the loft.

Outside benches for relaxing in the courtyard. Use these benches during sauna. Observe around you other sauna guests walking by. Enjoy 1930's - 1950's architecture building styles surrounding you. Sit calmly on a courtyard bench, let steam roll off your body, notice the cozy atmosphere. Very unique.

Cooling off outside with temperatures between -1 to -2c. Feel cooled down enough? Notice the outside fireplace near a bench at the side of the sauna building. Move onto the bench, to get warm.

Or roast hot-dogs over the fireplace. Finnish birch eminate a distinctive kind of heat. Use the fireplace to roast some hot-dogs, or just get warm. The fireplace comes with the sauna. Ask them ahead of time if you want to come with a large group and use the fireplace.

Take your time and even get a massage while enjoying this sauna.

Where Is This Sauna?

For opening times, location, and further details please visit the Rajaportti Sauna pages

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