Q 01/05

An old Finnish saying tells you to behave in the sauna as you would in which place?

A) At home

B) In church

C) At a feast

D) At the market

Answer · why

B) In church

In church: folk belief held that a sauna elf, the saunatonttu, loved peace and punished bathers who were noisy or quarrelled.

Q 02/05

What is the Finnish word for the steam and heat produced when water is thrown on the hot stones?

A) Kiuas

B) Löyly

C) Savu

D) Vihta

Answer · why

B) Löyly

Löyly means more than steam: in old Finnish belief the vapour rising from the stones was a spirit, the breath of life.

Q 03/05

In sauna vocabulary, what is the kiuas?

A) The bucket and ladle set

B) The ventilation hatch

C) The stove and its rock pile

D) The upper bench platform

Answer · why

C) The stove and its rock pile

The stove and its rock pile: water thrown on its hot stones turns to steam, which makes the room feel much hotter.

Q 04/05

The vihta, a bundle of twigs Finns use to gently beat their skin in the sauna, comes from which tree?

A) Pine

B) Spruce

C) Willow

D) Birch

Answer · why

D) Birch

Birch: slapping the skin with the leafy whisk stimulates it, and eastern Finns call the same bundle a vasta.

Q 05/05

What type were the first Finnish saunas, which took hours to heat before anyone could bathe?

A) Continuous-fire sauna

B) Smoke sauna

C) Barrel sauna

D) Chimney sauna

Answer · why

B) Smoke sauna

Smoke sauna: with no chimney, smoke fills the room, so the fire is put out and the room aired before anyone bathes.