Peek Inside This Adorable Log Cottage With Loft

Unique Log Cabin Features

You'll love the way this log cabin combines modern features with rustic cabin design for a unique look all of its own. The 1,500-square-foot log cabin has 3 bedrooms and a loft. Built in 1998 the log cabin is located just 3 km from Sirkka, Finland, and is close to the Levi ski resort. The vacation log cabin has a beautiful sauna to enjoy during your stay. Levi is in Lapland, Finland, situated 170km north of the Arctic Circle and Rovaniemi. Levi is probably the most well-known of the Finnish resorts for the Brits, mainly because of all the children's Christmas experiences marketed here. Levi is often where you'll go to meet Santa. Lapland Levi. There is a wide range of winter and summer activities to do in Levi. From snowmobiles to husky and reindeer safaris, hiking, canoeing, and cycling.

Cultural Importance of Saunas in Finland

In Finland, you'll find saunas in most homes and cottages. Saunas are a part of Finnish culture, with the roots of the Finnish sauna extending deep into the past, reaching back into the Bronze Age. The earliest saunas were most likely simple pits that would have been dug into a slope, with a fireplace where the stones were heated to a high temperature. Water was thrown over the hot stones to generate steam, which provided warmth and a relaxing atmosphere. Over the centuries, the Finnish sauna has evolved, reflecting the changing times and technologies.

The Evolution of Sauna Design

From the early pit saunas, the tradition has morphed into smoke saunas which are windowless log cabin buildings with a hearth but no chimney, where the smoke from the burning wood fills the room before escaping through a small hole in the wall or roof. A smoke sauna is an original sauna, and most Finnish people believe it to be the best kind. The door is closed after the wood has burned down (and most of the smoke has escaped), leaving the embers to heat the sauna to the proper temperature, yielding a soft heat and an aroma of wood smoke.

The Sauna as a Social Space

The sauna in Finland is more than just a place for bathing and relaxation. The Finnish sauna is a place for social interaction, and community bonding, and a stage for life's significant events. Historically, the sauna was a sacred space, a sanctum where cleanliness and purity were paramount. This sanctity of the sauna is derived not just from its role as a bathhouse but also its use as a place for healing and even for birthing. Finnish folklore has references to the sauna's spiritual importance, with many tales attributing the sauna to a spirit or guardian.

Modern Significance of Saunas

Today while the sauna's spiritual role may have diminished, both its social and cultural significance has not. Saunas are an integral part of Finnish celebrations, a place for conducting business, and a space for political discourse. They are places where people congregate, engage and communicate, where the barriers of hierarchy melt away in the heat of the loyly. In the landscape of Finnish life, the sauna stands as an emblem of national identity, etched deeply into the rhythm of daily routines and social customs. The significance of the sauna is reflected in the staggering numbers that underscore its prevalence and popularity. Finland is home to over two million saunas.