{"id":1021,"date":"2018-11-13T09:10:09","date_gmt":"2018-11-13T09:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/?p=1021"},"modified":"2024-01-06T12:52:41","modified_gmt":"2024-01-06T12:52:41","slug":"russian-banya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/russiable.com\/russian-banya\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Russian banya and why you should visit it"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The banya is the traditional Russian spa and it constitutes one of the most important activities in Russia, not only because it is a site of relaxation, health and well-being, but also because it is a place to socialize with friends or family. The Sanduny Baths in Moscow are the most famous in Russia. Below I will explain how to organize the visit.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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1. What is a Russian banya?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Russians say that you haven\u2019t really been in Russia if you didn\u2019t take a good bath in a typical Russian banya, which includes sauna, massage and relaxation therapies, more or less comparable to modern day spas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The banya remains one of the most important weekly activities for many Russians, since it is deeply rooted in Russian culture, born in the old Viking settlement of Veliky Novgorod (southeast of St. Petersburg).<\/p>\n\n\n

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For the Russians, it is a place not only to relax but also to eat and drink with friends and to “cleanse the soul and heal the body of any disease”. Needless to say, Russia is a country where it is very cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a very healthy and highly recommended habit, so I will explain below the different types of banyas, what is the ritual of a banya, as well as the main banyas of Moscow and St. Petersburg if you want to visit any, which I heartily recommend during your stay in Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Russia, the local tv stations broadcast every year the New Year’s Eve comedy \u0418\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0441\u0443\u0434\u044c\u0431\u044b, \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0421 \u043b\u0451\u0433\u043a\u0438\u043c \u043f\u0430\u0440\u043e\u043c!<\/a><\/em>  (The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!<\/em>) by Eldar Ryazanov, filmed in the Sanduny Baths, and which reflects very well what a Russian banya is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Types of banyas: from private to public<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many Russians have a private banya for the family in their dachas<\/em> (country houses), in a small wooden hut (see cover photo of this article). However, in large cities there are public banyas open to the general public and in which an entrance fee is paid for its use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best and most famous public banyas are located in Moscow and St. Petersburg. It should also be noted that there is a banya museum in the Siberian city of Ust-Barguzin, on the shores of Lake Baikal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.1. Public banyas in Moscow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sanduny Baths (Sandunovskie banya)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are the oldest and most luxurious in Moscow. Inaugurated in 1808, they are inside a beautiful Beaux Arts style monument. It is the place where the city\u2019s personalities and businessmen come as a place to close deals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not going to dwell on these baths since I will talk about them in more details below. You can visit them by taking a guided tour to get to know the building inside and out or, better yet, using its facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n