The term "sauna" is derived from the Finnish language and roughly translated means "sweating bath". Because of this modern term, we tend to assume that the Finns alone have a history of saunas. However, the Finns have not brought their most popular cultural gadget to Europe from their journeys to Asia before about 2000 years ago.
Culture handed down for thousands and thousands of years
As early as in the stone age however have people, particularly in Asia, discovered and exercised this sort of physical culture. Later, the Eskimos discovered the pleasant effects as well as the inhabitants on both of the American continents. In Europe, sauna culture was mostly introduced by Slavic peoples. The first credible evidence was found and documented as far back as during the period of the first 10 centuries A.C.
Never more modern
From the first quarter of the 20th century on, there was a continuous increase in newly opened and operated - and especially public - institutions called "sauna" in Germany. Today, a huge choice of public saunas, hotels and pools with saunas as well as private sweating baths are at our disposal. About 35% of all Germans are said to regularly visit a sauna.
