What is a banya?
A banya is a Russian-style bathhouse built around a very hot, humid steam room called the parilka. A visit is long and social: rounds of heat, cold water, tea and food, often with a massage of leafy branches called a venik. Some of the oldest bathhouses in the US are banyas.
The short answer
A banya is the Russian and Eastern European version of the sauna. The main difference from a Finnish sauna is the steam. In a banya, water is thrown onto the hot stones of a big oven again and again, so the air in the hot room is wet and heavy. It feels hotter than a dry sauna at the same temperature. Between rounds you cool off in cold water, then rest, drink tea and eat.
The parilka
The parilka is the steam room. It is heated by a large stove filled with stones, often a brick or stone oven. Bathers lie or sit on wooden benches, and someone adds water to the stones for more steam. The higher the bench, the hotter it gets.
The steam is what makes it a banya. It is moist and soft to breathe, unlike the dry air of a sauna, but it carries a lot of heat. (Culture Trip)
The venik and platza
A venik is a bundle of leafy branches, usually birch or oak, soaked in hot water. In the parilka, a bather or an attendant pats and sweeps the venik over the body, moving the hot steam onto the skin. Different leaves are traditionally used for different purposes, with birch the most common. (Culture Trip)
In US banyas this treatment is usually called platza, and it is offered by trained staff for an extra fee. It is intense but it should not hurt. Tell the attendant if it gets too hot.
Why the felt hats?
Many bathers wear a felt hat in the parilka. The felt keeps the head and ears from overheating in the hot steam, so you can stay in longer. (Culture Trip) Banyas often sell or lend them.
The cold
After the parilka you cool down in a cold pool, under a cold shower or bucket, or, in winter in the old country, by rolling in the snow. Then you rest before the next round.
Tea and food
Rest time is part of the banya. Many banyas have a restaurant or tea room serving dishes like borscht, dumplings and smoked fish, with tea and, outside the hot rooms, beer. Do not drink alcohol before going back into the heat.
Banya vs Finnish sauna
- Air: a banya is wet and steamy, a Finnish sauna is mostly dry with short bursts of steam.
- Feel: a banya feels hotter and heavier at the same temperature.
- Ritual: the venik and platza are central in a banya. In Finland a similar whisk, the vihta or vasta, is used too, but less often in public saunas.
- Pace: banyas are long, social visits with food. A Finnish sauna is often quieter.
Banyas in the US
Banya traditions came with immigrants from Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe, and some American bathhouses are well over a century old:
- Dillon's Russian Steam Bath in Chelsea, near Boston, dates to 1885.
- The Russian & Turkish Baths on East 10th Street in New York has run since 1892.
- Lake Steam Baths in Denver has been run by the same family for close to a century.
Newer banyas and banya-style rooms include Archimedes Banya in San Francisco, Banya 5 in Seattle and Bathhouse in New York and Philadelphia.
See all of them on our list of Russian banyas in the US, or browse banyas in New York City, where Brooklyn has the largest cluster.
Before your first visit
- Check the listing for swimsuit rules and men's or women's days. They vary a lot between banyas.
- Bring flip-flops and a water bottle. A felt hat is useful.
- Start on a lower bench and keep the first rounds short.
- Book platza in advance if you want it.
- Plan for a long visit. Two to three hours is normal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a banya and a sauna?
A banya is a Russian-style bathhouse with a wet, steamy hot room, while a Finnish sauna is mostly dry. The steam makes a banya feel hotter at the same temperature, and the venik massage is a central part of the visit.
What is a parilka?
The parilka is the steam room of a banya, heated by a large stove full of stones. Water is thrown on the stones to make hot, wet steam.
What is platza?
Platza is a treatment in which an attendant pats and sweeps you with a venik, a bundle of soaked oak or birch branches, in the hot steam room. US banyas usually offer it for an extra fee.
Why do people wear hats in a banya?
Felt hats keep the head and ears from overheating in the hot steam, so you can stay in the parilka longer.
Where can I find a Russian banya in the US?
There are banyas in New York, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. See our list of Russian banyas in the US.