In Finland, the land of a thousand lakes, the silver-surfaced waters are lined not only with birches and pines but also with small wooden saunas strewn along the shores. There are two million saunas in the country populated by only five million people.
These simple wooden structures offer daily respite from the rush of life. This centuries-old tradition is central to the country’s culture.
Explore the Finnish sauna culture in words by Josefine Skomars and imagery by Philip Messmann and Frederik Säll.
