Enjoy the Best Traditional Sauna in Helsinki!
Experiencing a Finnish sauna is a must for a visitor to Helsinki. The famous Kotiharju Sauna is the only remaining public wood-burning sauna in Helsinki. Only wood-burning saunas let you enjoy the mellow heat of the traditional sauna experience.
Kotiharju Sauna, built in 1928, has maintained its original atmosphere throughout the decades. Customers range from the neighborhood regulars to bachelor parties. Part of the inimitable Kotiharju experience consists of solving the problems of the world with fellow bathers in the soft steam (löyly) of the sauna and then cooling off outdoors in front of the sauna. At Kotiharju, there is room for 20–30 bathers on the uppermost benches, where the heat and steam (löyly) are the best (and hottest). If you prefere it less warm, there is more room on the lower benches. In practice, löyly means pouring some water on the hot stones – there is a water tap on the stove (kiuas). The old rule is that whoever sits at the hottest place gets to decide whether or not to throw more löyly.
Contact
Opening hours
Social Media
PRICE LIST
Public sauna
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Sauna 15,00 €
Price group 1 12,00 € Students (With Finnish student card or ISIC), pensioners, unemployed and disabled persons.
Price group 2 8,00 €
Children 12-16-y
10 times card
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10 times card 130,00 €
10 times card 110,00 €
Students (With Finnish student card or ISIC), pensioners, unemployed and disabled persons.
Loyalty customers
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Loyalty card 75,00 €
Entitles holder for reduced ticket price. The loyalty Card is valid one year onwards from admittance.
Loyalty customers sauna 11,00 €
Loyalty customers sauna 8,00 €
Students (With Finnish student card or ISIC), pensioners, unemployed and disabled persons.
Utilities
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Towel rent 3,00 €
Disposable seatcover 0,30 €
Vihta 7,00 €
Takeaway vihta 8,00 €
Scrubbing
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Complete body wash 13,00 €
Please note! The Washer (woman) is at the premises on thursday and saturday.
Privatesauna
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Tuesday - Thursday
2 hours 15,00 € / person
3 hours 17,00 € / person
4 hours 19,00 € / person
Friday – Saturday min. 5 person / Sunday min. 2 person
2 hours 20,00 € / person
3 hours 22,00 € / person
4 hours 24,00 € / person
Price’s includes unlimited use of private facilities and also usage of our public sides.
Price’s include unlimited use of the private facilities, and in addition to this you also have access to the public domains of the sauna
Please note! The private sauna should be empty at least 15 min. before the actual ending time because the sauna needs to be cleaned for the next visitors.
Private sauna for group events
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Our private sauna is the perfect solution for small groups. Whether it's a bachelor party or your company's events, our sauna won't leave your group cold. The premises of the private sauna include an electrically heated sauna and two cabinets for a total of about 17 people. In addition to this , you may also use the saunas on the public side.
Kotiharju sauna is great for bachelor parties, baby showers, homecoming parties, representative events and small groups' evening outings.
We reserve the right to make changes
SAUNA INSTRUCTIONS FOR KOTIHARJU'S SAUNA
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Please give others sauna peace and for your part, take care that the premises remain clean and pleasant for the following sauna customers as well.
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Please remember to take care of your fluid balance and drink enough water.
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Please note that drinking sauna drinks is allowed in the changing rooms and outside. They may not be taken to saunas and washrooms.
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In the wood heated saunas there are heat storage stoves and adding wood to the stove is strictly prohibited!
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The sauna has lockable lockers for your belongings. The keys are ready in the lockers and you are free to choose your own locker.
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You don't need to make a reservation for the public sauna, and you can rent all sauna accessories from the sauna.
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The sauna floors may be hot. The use of sandals is recommended, but not mandatory. If necessary, you can borrow sandals from the sauna.
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Please Wash yourself before going in to the sauna.
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When going to the sauna, ask others if they want more steam (löyly). In the men's sauna, the hottest part of the sauna, the denizens on the pipe shelf, determine the amount of steam.
HISTORY OF KOTIHARJU SAUNA
Kotiharjus sauna was built in 1928. Over the decades, the basic structure of the sauna has remained unchanged: a men's sauna on the ground floor and a women's sauna of the same size on the second floor, where nowadays there is also a private sauna.
The upper bench can accommodate 20–30 bathers. In the men's sauna, a pipe shelf that is higher than the other benches was later built for the hardest bathers, from which the amount of throwing of water on the stove,"löyly" is determined.
The sauna was renovated respecting tradition in 1999. Support for the repair was received from e.g. From the Cultural City Foundation of Helsinki.
Kotiharju sauna is currently a family business. In 1991, it was taken over by Väinö and Meeri Holopainen. Nowadays, the sauna is hosted and hosted by Risto and Merja Holopainen.
STOVES AND HEATING
The stoves in the Kotiharju public saunas are heat storage type. The total mass of the men's sauna stoves is approx. 7000 kg, there are approx. 1500 kg of stones and approx. 1000 kg of iron. The women's sauna stove is slightly smaller than the men's sauna stove. The interior of the women's stove was re-bricked in winter 2023 and the men's stove in the summer of 2023.
On the men's side, the sauna stones are changed several times a year, while in the women's sauna they are changed 1-2 times a year. When replacing the stones, the condition of the stove is checked and worn irons and elements are replaced with new ones.
On sauna days, about one cubic meter of wood is used for heating. The heating starts in the morning and it lasts 3-5 hours, depending on the day and season.
LINKS
Youtube video about heating the wood stoves in Kotiharju Sauna (also with English subtexts). Link to the video
Youtube video about changing the stones in the Kotiharju Sauna's stove (in English). Link to the video
Youtube video about renewing the neon light in Kotiharju Sauna (in Finnish). Link to the video
The history of Kotiharju Sauna 1928-1998 and a few stories from Helsingin Sanomat about the sauna (in Finnish): Link
