Joint public baths for men and women. The most "shameless" baths in the world, in which it is uncomfortable for a Russian person

A funny incident happened to us in Zakopane (Poland), where my friend and I were snowboarding and skiing a few days ago. In the evening we decided to go to the local thermal baths to warm up and went to the compartment, where there were only a few pools, and the main emphasis in the rest was on various saunas. We went to the baths, I immediately climbed into the pool in a bathing suit. But an angry girl in clothes came and almost pulled me out of the pool, because, as it turned out, everyone goes naked to these baths: they didn’t say this at the entrance and there were no inscriptions, but this is kind of implied here, and we are Russian klutzes and don’t we know how it is in enlightened Europe. I didn’t immediately understand the local rules, since everyone mostly walks around the room in towels. Baths, like you, probably. understood, joint. Well, in general, we didn’t care, it was only strange in what seemed to us a religious Poland, where even abortions, except in exceptional cases, are prohibited, to meet such baths: we took off our swimwear, put on the towels given to us, even thought that it was good , since it will not be necessary to dry the swimsuits later, it is convenient. It was easy to recognize many of our compatriots by the way they laughed when they learned about the local rules, as if in the fifth grade of the school they again explain the topic of stamens and pistils to us in a biology lesson. To be honest, we were also subject to this fun, especially when, together with other Russian girls, we were standing peacefully in the pool, and a dude in glasses and a mask swept past us several times, looking for no idea what. And he swam like a brigantine around us in circles, so in the end we even decided to say something bad to him so as not to interfere with our rest.

Some older men also strained (something young Poles were not noticed at all in this pool, only a couple of older women), who took an excellent viewing point in another pool and looked at the profiles of the girls entering the other, main pool in the light. In the sauna, a young man tried to pester our girl friend, as if inadvertently touching her with his fingers (well, at least with his fingers) several times, which, frankly, in the bathhouse - a place where he came to relax, and not to get acquainted with someone, was annoying. I remember that Turks also pestered us in the jacuzzi in the joint baths in Stockholm, although everyone was in bathing suits there. So terrible: he came to rest, he is still forced to defend himself, to avoid someone.

It was really very difficult for some Russians to undress, it was clear that for someone it could even become a psychological trauma. because they came to this sauna with close friends and relatives, dads, brothers, etc., coaches, in front of whom they clearly did not want to expose themselves at all. Some girls stayed like that all the time only in those two saunas where it was allowed to be in a towel. Yes, and Russian men in the bulk of the local order did not fight and did not feel so macho in these saunas, they suggested that I stick to them so that "no one accidentally sticks and nothing happens", while they themselves took off their towels only in extreme cases, in those saunas where people were almost kicked out by overseer girls (I thought that they only lacked whips), if people were not sitting naked, and in the pool, since they were not allowed to swim in towels. Well, this is inconvenient to everything else. Some unfortunate, modest Russian girls have never taken a dip in the thermal pool at all, although they paid money for entry. I ask some Russians how they liked the Turkish steam room, which they have not yet gone to. They say: "Great, there is so much steam that you can't see anything, so go." Something like that.

Many peoples have their own bathing traditions, which may seem strange to others, and sometimes indecent. Not in every country, going to the local bath, the Russian will feel at home.

Three in a Japanese barrel

Traditional Japanese baths may seem the most “shameless” to a Russian person. A furaco bath is a large wooden barrel filled with water. Often this water was taken from hot thermal springs. In order not to change the water every time after washing one person, washing with soap and a washcloth is done in advance.
The whole family or just a few people can sit in the furako, if the barrel is located in a public bath, for this there are benches on the sides of the barrel.
In public Japanese baths in the old days there were servant girls who provided visitors with intimate services. Some places of entertainment in Japan continue this tradition today. Are they called "soap country"? and clients are washed in them, and then they are “entertained”.
However, not all bathhouse attendants are girls of easy virtue. Sometimes girls are preferred to be hired because it would be uncomfortable for women to use the services of male bath attendants. At the same time, there may not be an intimate component - the attendants will show how to use the bath, make sure that visitors do not get sick in a barrel of hot water, add aromatic oils to the water, and give a massage.
Now most public baths in Japan (sento) are divided into male and female halves, although this was not always the case: over the centuries, the relevant laws were either approved or repealed. Sento may have large heated pools.
Many sento baths are forbidden to people with tattoos, as they may be suspected of belonging to the mafia. There are also separate establishments where foreigners are not welcome.

bath equality

In many European baths there is no division into male and female zones - everyone sits in the same room or splashes in the same pool.
In Germany, many baths are located in areas with thermal waters. Usually they are divided into two halves: one contains pools and water attractions, the other contains saunas and steam rooms. Swimwear and swimming trunks are only allowed in the pool area. And to come to the bath in a bathing suit is nonsense. On the doors of the room where it is customary to sit naked, the letters FFK - Freikörperkultur - "Free Body Culture" are usually written.
The most shy can wrap themselves in a cotton towel - the Germans do not approve of synthetics, believing that it negates the healing effect of the bath. But usually no one looks at anyone - everyone is equal in the bathhouse. Rather, they will look at the guest wrapped in a towel.
The whole family goes to the German baths, so teenagers, their parents, and very young children can be in the same steam room. Sometimes, however, "women's days" are arranged, when men are not allowed into the bath complex.
You can’t make noise in German baths - this prevents other guests from relaxing.
It is worth saying that in the XV-XVII centuries. in Russia, baths also practiced joint washing of men and women, and the imperial decree forbidding everyone to wash together was issued only under Catherine II in 1782. Prior to this, the decree of the Governing Senate of 1741 was not successful. Finally, this custom came to naught only in the era of Alexander I.

To the bath - for important contracts

In Finland, it is not customary to refuse an invitation to a sauna. There, as in Germany, they sit “in what the mother gave birth to”, and the status of a neighbor is not taken into account. There is even a sauna in the parliament building. It is said that until the 1980s, parliamentary meetings were held there on Thursdays. All consulates and embassies of Finland abroad have their own saunas.
So if there is a goal to sign an important contract with a Finn or discuss any problem, you will have to go to the sauna with him. It is there that the Finns, who are usually closed and not very fond of making contact, are liberated and willingly conduct difficult negotiations. Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari liked to discuss the most serious issues with foreign politicians in the sauna. All ministers and presidents sat at the same time, as expected, naked. And Nikita Khrushchev in 1960 had to steam in the sauna of the Finnish embassy for five hours until he and President Urho Kekkonen came to an agreement on important issues.
Families go to the sauna together, and in public saunas, men and women bathe separately. Many Finns are offended when they talk about intimate relationships in saunas, believing that this opinion came in the 70s from Germany.
There are even floating saunas in Finland, which are not recommended for people who are sensitive to rocking.

Gay saunas

In Sweden, for a long time there were special sauna-clubs for people with non-traditional orientation. In 1987 they were banned by the government, citing the spread of HIV infection, but in 2001 the ban was lifted. The authorities considered that during the ban there was neither a sharp increase in incidence rates, nor a sharp decrease in them. Another argument in favor of the permit was that promiscuity in random places carries a much greater risk.
In the USA, similar baths also existed and were banned in the mid-80s in New York (1985) and San Francisco (1984). In the UK, gay saunas are still functioning: the largest network is located in London and is called Chariots. They have swimming pools, steam rooms, massage rooms. Saunas of this network are open around the clock.
Similar establishments exist in many countries around the world. A few years ago, the BBC reported that in Rome, a famous gay sauna and a department of the Vatican side by side in a historic palazzo.

Soaring in the bath is not just a pleasant procedure, an opportunity to relax and unwind. The Russian bath has long been famous for its healing and rejuvenating properties. A real wood-fired sauna in the Barin sauna complex near Moscow will allow you to get rid of accumulated stress and fatigue, cleanse your body and soul, gain positive emotions and recharge your batteries. We work all year round. Sauna on birch wood is located in a cozy two-story house, equipped with a pool of warm water. Birch, oak and juniper brooms, eco-steaming (on herbs and essential oils) and, of course, the art of professional bath attendants are at the guests' disposal.

The Russian wood-fired sauna cleanses the body, activates the metabolism and removes toxins - after the bath you feel refreshed, vigorous and full of energy. The conditions created in the wood-fired sauna - steam and temperature changes - contribute to the restoration of blood vessels, strengthening the heart muscle, removing excess moisture and toxins and normalizing the water-salt balance. We recommend visiting a bath or sauna with a pool regularly for those who want to get rid of extra pounds, improve skin condition, restore the respiratory system, and overcome chronic diseases of the ENT organs. The Russian bath is an excellent beautician: a good steam room with a birch broom cleanses the skin, ridding it of blackheads and blackheads, making the skin surface velvety and healthy. And, of course, steaming is a woman's best friend in the fight against cellulite.

The sauna and the Russian bath in the Barin bath complex are equipped in such a way as to fully recreate the classic conditions in which our ancestors used to bathe. We heat the banya with natural firewood, unlike many other inexpensive modern banyas in the Moscow region, where artificial heaters are installed. Thanks to the use of birch firewood, a unique fine steam is created in our sauna. City baths, saunas, which abound in Shchelkovo, Fryazino, Chernogolovka, Balashikha, Ivanteevka, Korolev, Mytishchi, Krasnoarmeysk and other cities of the Moscow region, cannot boast of such. In cities, most often there is no way to install a special wood-burning stove. In "Barin", located in a cozy corner near Moscow, far from noisy cities, there is such an opportunity. Our bath-sauna with a swimming pool is always waiting for its guests!

Progress has changed our lives in so many ways. How could people have imagined before that they would perform water procedures without leaving their homes? That a day will come when they won't have to get to the nearest bathhouse with basins, washcloths, brooms and other accessories? Today, most people have already abandoned this, but there are still those who remain devoted to the good old baths, albeit not very often, but from time to time visiting establishments in different parts of the city in search of the best. Is it possible to go there with the whole family? Is there at least one joint where, without hiding, both men and women can wash? And if there are, where to look for them and are there any special rules for those who want to visit them? Let's look for answers to all these questions together.

Historical digression

The tradition of making separate baths for different sexes is far from new. Even when people understood the difference between men and women, they began to take care of their toilet in the presence of only their own sex in order to avoid embarrassment. In the baths, several halls were usually made, some were given at the disposal of men, others - women. And they could appoint a time at which representatives of only one sex were to come.

A joint bath (men and women were allowed in at the same time) was more a necessity than a whim: for example, it was not possible to organize separate "washing sessions" for men and women. Today, when the function of the bath has changed somewhat (now it is more of an entertainment than the only way to keep oneself clean), representatives of different sexes can freely spend time there together, not necessarily even naked.

How about in Europe?

Joint public baths have long existed in European countries. True, there is one very important rule there: no swimsuits and swimming trunks, because at such a temperature that is in the steam room, the fabric will prevent the evaporation of excess fluid from the body, thereby provoking overheating. Who knows how this could end? Perhaps it is precisely because of this that in the West people are not ashamed of their nudity in such a situation, knowing full well that the consequences may not be the most pleasant.

In Russia, and even in post-Soviet countries, people are not so liberated, so they go to the joint in what they swim in the sea. It is difficult to say whether concern for health or the feeling of beauty of others is more important, and yet society imposes certain limits, because of which we feel very uncomfortable when we are naked or surrounded by naked people, whether we know them or not. In any case, the traditions of Russia in this regard are significantly different from Western ones.

"Warsaw Baths"

So, let's get down to specifics. It is clear that the joint bath in Moscow is far from alone, moreover, a large number of complexes today offer to rent a separate sauna, where representatives of different sexes can be at the same time, this already depends on the customer himself. One of the establishments where this is available is Warsaw Baths, located on Warsaw Highway 34.

Clients note that not only the bathhouse itself is excellent, but also the restaurant located next to it. Halls of different capacities, decorated in different styles, are available for rent. In addition, the complex offers sheet rental, so that even the most shy will not have to blush in front of the opposite sex.

"Tsaritsyno Baths"

The Tsaritsyno Baths, located at the metro station of the same name, along Luganskaya Street, 10, have also proven themselves. This complex, among other things, arranges special sessions for naturists - people who have no complexes at all. You can spend three hours in cabins for 6-8 people (given the specifics of the session, women in a joint bath in Moscow will pay only 800 rubles instead of the usual 1300 for this bath). As in many other similar establishments, a restaurant and a bar are available.

And from what is usually more interested in bath lovers, a font, showers, cabins with overturning barrels of cold water are available. Judging by the reviews, the Tsaritsyno Baths are one of the best in the capital, so you won’t have to regret visiting them.

"B-69"

"B-69" is an amazing island of peace and tranquility in the center of the bustling capital. True, this is more of a sauna than a joint one. Its address is Vavilov Street, 69, Profsoyuznaya metro station. The prices there, of course, are not very democratic, but a separate plus is the presence of two completely diverse halls - Greek, decorated in the spirit of antiquity, and African, with the savage simplicity inherent in this continent. Like most baths, there is a restaurant and a bar, but you can also bring your own food. Guests can use the services of masseurs, smoke hookah and enjoy aromatherapy.

"Vorontsov baths"

The legendary "Vorontsovsky Bani" (Vorontsovsky lane, 5/7, building 1), unfortunately, do not allow men and women to wash together, but they are happy to provide saunas for up to six people for rent for both sexes. The pluses here include the fact that the complex is open around the clock, so that those who do not go to bed before dawn, and those who wake up at this very dawn and already want to relax in a pleasant atmosphere, can enjoy this place.

The only condition is to rent a room for more than two hours, for which you will have to pay from three to six thousand rubles, depending on the presence of a pool in a particular sauna and the capacity of the steam room.

"Sandunovsky baths"

The regulars almost without exception advise another truly legendary institution - the Sandunovsky Baths. The address of the institution: Neglinnaya, 14, pp. 3-7. As in most other complexes, there are separate categories (they are also halls) for men and women. The opportunity to relax together for both sexes is provided in separate numbered baths of different capacities. Here the number baths are also open around the clock. Their price, as is already clear, depends on the capacity: for a company of four people you will have to pay 4,000 rubles per hour, and for the largest one, of ten people, seven or eight thousand. We can safely say that this is perhaps the most popular joint bath in Moscow. Reviews about this place are the most positive, both about individual and general categories, therefore "Sanduny", as this bath is called by the people, is one of the complexes that are almost mandatory for visiting.

"Lefortovo baths"

A joint bath of men and women in its pure form in Moscow is very rare - usually these are still separate categories available for rent. This service is also offered by Lefortovskiye Bani, located on Lefortovsky Val, 9a. Here, however, there are some peculiarities: rented rooms and saunas can accommodate from four to six people, and you need to pay for them based on the number of guests: 600 rubles per person per hour, and the minimum price is 1200, that is, as for two human. In addition, you can also rent a double room for 1200 rubles per hour.

And the biggest bonus is the opportunity to "occupy" the whole Russian steam room, which can accommodate as many as thirty people - this is a great option for holding a large-scale celebration, corporate party, for example. According to reviews, in addition to standard brooms, sheets and hats, honey, herbs, and various types of massages are offered here.

Not only in Moscow!

But you don't think that a joint trip to the bathhouse is possible only in Moscow, do you? Other cities are just as good! For example, the Northern capital offers the "Bath Club", which, unfortunately, is only open from mid-Tuesday to Wednesday morning, from four to six. This institution is located on Pilot Street, 20, you will have to get from or from "Narvskaya". The payment system is also interesting: until seven in the evening, ladies go for free, then they pay 300 rubles; men from four to midnight pay 1000, and if they came already on Wednesday, then 300.

The rules prohibit the use of alcohol and drugs, and for indecent attitude towards ladies, they can be removed. In addition, special programs with master classes and trainings are held, in which all those present can participate. True, in the general department you will have to walk in a bathing suit, bathrobe or sheet, but the very feeling of being in a bath covers this nuisance for nude lovers.

General rules

It doesn't matter if you prefer ordinary, separate or joint baths. Men, women in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Astrakhan and in all cities must adhere to certain rules.

It is clear that going to the bath for oncological diseases and pregnancy is strictly prohibited. But few people know that it is recommended to take a shower before going to the steam room, however, without gels and soaps, which will remove the fatty film from the body and make sweating more difficult. No alcohol: its influence will only increase under the influence of heat. In the steam room itself, you need to cover your head, especially if your hair is wet, otherwise there will be an additional load on the vessels of the brain. And after the steam room, a cold shower or a traditional Russian rubbing with snow is recommended: the temperature contrast will only enhance the healing effect of the bath. The most important rule is: in no case do not test yourself - at the slightest sign of discomfort, you need to leave the steam room and take a break from the heat.

The moral side of the issue

I would also like to note that a joint bath in Moscow is a rather intimate phenomenon than a widespread one. And the mentality of the post-Soviet states, as mentioned above, is very different from the European one. It is very likely that over time the situation will change and the scope of shame will expand a little. On the other hand, the question arises about the sense of beauty: after all, everyone has a different attitude towards the human body, and it is hardly possible to be in a company where everyone will suit everyone. In addition, people of the older generation can join the trips to the bathhouse, the joint presence next to which the negligee seems completely unacceptable. Therefore, the issue of joint baths will be discussed for a long time. You can give arguments both for and against, but the choice remains with each visitor to the bath.

Different types of baths

It was said above that a variety of types of private branches can offer a joint bath in these different establishments will allow you to choose where exactly to have a good time.

Russian bath - the most famous and one of the oldest. Its peculiarity is that hot stones are poured with water, which creates a wet steam. In the Finnish sauna (by the way, in translation “sauna” means “bath”), the system is, in general, the same, but the stove has a different design, and the stones are watered much less often, which is why the steam is not so wet there. An interesting option is a Japanese bath, more like our bath: a person plunges chest-deep into a barrel filled with water at a temperature of 45 degrees, warming up there.

There are also dry baths. You can take a steam bath in sawdust, heated to 60 degrees, soaked in special oils. Or you can use a special bag filled with herbs or birch leaves. Even ancient scientists noted the benefits of a sand bath, which we often meet in the form of a children's game - the fact that children bury adults in the sand has a positive effect on their body. Avicenna advised combining such a bath with watermelon: the berry will have a diuretic effect, but excess fluid will be excreted from the body with sweat, which will actively absorb sand.

That is why you should not get hung up on any one bath, it is better to experiment in order to choose something very, very best.

Finally

So, a joint bath in Moscow is not yet a very common phenomenon, but almost all bath complexes in the capital offer rental of small rooms where representatives of different sexes can gather. The only question is choosing a place - here it all depends on personal preferences and recommendations from friends. In addition, the issue of money is also important, but usually you will have to pay somewhere between 4,000-5,000 thousand rubles for going to the number room of the bathhouse, which provides this privacy. per hour, which can be divided among all. So know that in the capital there is an opportunity to take a steam bath in a bath even with a heterosexual company. Know and use this excellent opportunity not only to have a great time, but also to improve your health.

Many peoples have their own bathing traditions, which may seem strange to others, and sometimes indecent. Not in every country, going into a local bath, a Russian will feel feel at home.

Three in a Japanese barrel
Traditional Japanese baths may seem the most “shameless” to a Russian person. A furaco bath is a large wooden barrel filled with water. Often thiswater was taken from hot thermal springs. In order not to change the water every time after washing one person, washing with soap and a washcloth is done in advance.

The whole family or just a few people can sit in the furako, if the barrel is located in a public bath, for this there are benches on the sides of the barrel. In public Japanese baths in the old days there were servant girls who provided visitors with intimate services. Some places of entertainment in Japan continue this tradition today. Are they called "soap country"? and clients are washed in them, and then they are “entertained”.
However, not all bathhouse attendants are girls of easy virtue. Sometimes girls are preferred to be hired because it would be uncomfortable for women to useservices of male bath attendants. At the same time, there may not be an intimate component - the attendants will show how to use the bath, make sure that in the barrel withvisitors did not feel sick with hot water, they will add aromatic oils to the water, they will give a massage.

Now most public baths in Japan (sento) are divided into male and female halves, although this was not always the case: over the centuries, the relevant laws were either approved or repealed. Sento may have large heated pools.Many sento baths are forbidden to people with tattoos, as they may be suspected of belonging to the mafia. There are also separate establishments where foreigners are not welcome.

bath equality
In many European baths there is no division into male and female zones - everyone sits in the same room or splashes in the same pool. In Germany, many baths are located in areas with thermal waters. Usually they are divided into two halves: in onethere are swimming pools and water attractions, in the other - actually saunas and steam rooms. Swimwear and swimming trunks are only allowed in the pool area. And come to the bath in a bathing suit- nonsense. On the doors of the room where it is customary to sit naked, the letters FFK - Freikörperkultur - "Free Body Culture" are usually written.

The most shy can wrap themselves in a cotton towel - the Germans do not approve of synthetics, believing that it negates the healing effect of the bath. But usually no one
does not look at anyone - in the bathhouse everyone is equal. Rather, they will look at the guest wrapped in a towel.

The whole family goes to the German baths, so teenagers, their parents, and very young children can be in the same steam room. Sometimes, however, they arrange "women's days",when men are not allowed into the bath complex.
You can’t make noise in German baths - this prevents other guests from relaxing.

It is worth saying that in the XV-XVII centuries. in Russia in the baths too
joint washing of men and women was practiced, and
imperial decree forbidding everyone to wash together,
came out only under Catherine II in 1782. Before that, the decree
The ruling Senate of 1741 had no success.
Finally, this custom came to naught only in the era
Alexandra I.

To the bath - for important contracts
In Finland, it is not customary to refuse an invitation to a sauna. There, as in Germany, they sit “in what the mother gave birth to”, and the status of a neighbor is not taken into account. There is a sauna
even in the Houses of Parliament. It is said that until the 1980s, parliamentary meetings were held there on Thursdays.
All consulates and embassies of Finland abroad have their own saunas.So if there is a goal to sign an important contract with a Finn or discuss any problem, you will have to go to the sauna with him. It is there that the Finns, who are usually closed and not very fond of making contact, are liberated and willingly conduct difficult negotiations. Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari liked to discuss the most serious issues with foreign politicians in the sauna. All ministers and presidents sat at the same time, as expected, naked. And Nikita Khrushchev in 1960 had to steam in the sauna of the Finnishembassy for five hours, until he and President Urho Kekkone came to an agreement on important issues.
Families go to the sauna together, and in public saunas, men and women bathe separately. Many Finns are offended when they talk about intimate relationships in saunas, believing that this opinion came in the 70s from Germany. There are even floating saunas in Finland, which are not recommended for people who are sensitive to rocking.

Gay saunas
In Sweden, for a long time there were special sauna-clubs for people with non-traditional orientation. In 1987 they were banned by the government, citing the spread of HIV infection, but in 2001 the ban was lifted. The authorities consideredthat during the ban there was neither a sharp increase in incidence rates, nor a sharp decrease in them.

Another argument in favor of the permit was that promiscuity in random places carries a much greater risk.

In the USA, similar baths also existed and were banned in the mid-80s in New York (1985) and San Francisco (1984). In the UK, gay saunas function andnow: the largest chain is in London and is called Chariots. They have swimming pools, steam rooms, massage rooms.

Saunas of this network are open around the clock. Similar establishments exist in many countries around the world. A few years ago, the BBC reported that in Rome, a famous gay sauna and a department of the Vatican side by side in a historic palazzo.