Banya
The Russian steam bath, with birch branches, cold plunges and tea.
Also: russian bath
The banya is the Russian steam bath, a wooden room heated by a stove with hot stones, where bathers beat themselves lightly with bunches of birch or oak leaves, called veniki, and cool off with a plunge in a cold pool or a roll in the snow. A visit to the banya is a weekly habit for many families, and ends with tea, kvas and snacks. Traditionally, people went before holidays and weddings, and the bride was washed in the banya before her marriage. The custom is shared with the countries of Eastern Europe and the Baltic states, and old public banyas in the cities remain popular.
Region: Europe