{"id":35702,"date":"2026-09-08T17:17:49","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T15:17:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/istaspirtslietas.lv\/?p=35702"},"modified":"2026-09-08T17:41:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T15:41:51","slug":"international-sauna-congress-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/istaspirtslietas.lv\/en\/international-sauna-congress-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"International Sauna Congress 2026 Will Bring the Sauna World Together in Oslo"},"content":{"rendered":"

International Sauna Congress 2026<\/strong> will bring researchers, sauna professionals, architects, health experts and representatives of sauna culture from around the world to Oslo at the end of September. But the discussion will go far beyond how to heat a sauna properly. One of the central questions will be much broader \u2014 what is the sauna becoming in the 21st century?<\/p>\n

From 24 to 26 September, the Norwegian capital will host the International Sauna Congress 2026. Over three days, the programme will include lectures, discussions, cultural events and practical experiences introducing participants to Norway\u2019s rapidly growing public sauna culture.<\/p>\n

The congress is organised by the Norwegian sauna association Norges Badstulaug together with the International Sauna Association. The venues include SALT in central Oslo and The Well, one of the best-known spa complexes in the Nordic region.<\/p>\n

Sauna Is No Longer Just a Tradition<\/h2>\n

The congress programme clearly shows how attitudes toward sauna are changing around the world.<\/p>\n

On 25 and 26 September, the programme will be divided into several major themes: sauna and health, global sauna culture, architecture, technology and sustainability, as well as practical events focused on contemporary sauna culture.<\/p>\n

This means that at International Sauna Congress 2026, sauna is no longer treated only as a place for relaxation. It is becoming a subject of health research, an architectural challenge, a platform for new technologies and a social space.<\/p>\n

In recent years, this trend has become increasingly visible not only in Finland and the Baltic region, but also far beyond the traditional sauna countries.<\/p>\n

Opening in the Building Where the Nobel Peace Prize Is Awarded<\/h2>\n

The start of the congress will also be unusual.<\/p>\n

The official opening on 24 September is scheduled to take place at Oslo City Hall \u2014 the same building where the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is held every year.<\/p>\n

The programme includes an introduction to Norwegian badstue<\/em> culture, cultural performances and an official reception for congress participants.<\/p>\n

In the evening, participants will continue to The Well, where the opening programme will take place in the spa\u2019s saunas and pools.<\/p>\n

The choice of venues alone shows how much the status of sauna has changed in recent years. It is no longer seen only as a wooden building by a lake. Today, sauna is becoming part of the urban environment, public life and international professional discussion.<\/p>\n

Oslo\u2019s Floating Saunas Will Become Part of the Congress<\/h2>\n

One of the most interesting events is planned for the evening of 25 September.<\/p>\n

Congress participants will have the opportunity to experience Oslo\u2019s modern floating sauna culture on the Oslo Fjord.<\/p>\n

Public and floating saunas have become a highly visible part of the Norwegian capital in recent years. Some are located directly on the waterfront in the city centre, allowing visitors to move from a hot sauna straight into the cold fjord.<\/p>\n

This clearly shows the difference between the traditional private sauna and the newer urban sauna model.<\/p>\n

A sauna is no longer only a place for family members or a small group of friends. It is becoming a social space where people meet, talk and spend time together \u2014 much like they would in a caf\u00e9, sports club or city park.<\/p>\n

Health Will Be One of the Central Themes<\/h2>\n

A separate part of International Sauna Congress 2026 will focus on the relationship between sauna and health.<\/p>\n

That is hardly surprising. In recent years, scientific interest in regular heat exposure and sauna bathing has grown significantly. Researchers are studying cardiovascular responses, the body\u2019s reaction to heat, recovery after physical activity and other physiological processes.<\/p>\n

The congress is particularly important because sauna practitioners will meet researchers and health professionals in the same setting.<\/p>\n

This matters at a time when scientifically supported information about sauna is often mixed online with much stronger health claims that have considerably weaker evidence behind them.<\/p>\n

What Will the Sauna of the Future Look Like?<\/h2>\n

Another important focus of the congress will be architecture, technology and sustainability.<\/p>\n

Modern saunas are already using solutions that would have seemed unusual only a few years ago: automated temperature control, remote heater management, more energy-efficient structures, new construction materials and public saunas integrated directly into urban environments.<\/p>\n

Oslo itself is a good example of this development.<\/p>\n

The sauna culture along the fjord shows that sauna spaces can become part of contemporary city architecture rather than existing only in traditional rural surroundings.<\/p>\n

It is therefore no coincidence that architecture, technology and sustainability are grouped together as one of the congress\u2019s key thematic areas.<\/p>\n

A Tradition That Is Not Being Left in the Past<\/h2>\n

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the International Sauna Congress is not a single lecture or a specific technology.<\/p>\n

It is the fact that a very old tradition is now entering a new stage of development.<\/p>\n

In Finland, Estonia, Latvia and other parts of Northern Europe, sauna traditions have developed over centuries. Today, traditional saunas exist alongside urban saunas, floating saunas, professionally guided rituals and new spaces that are becoming part of modern public life.<\/p>\n

That does not mean older traditions have to disappear.<\/p>\n

Instead, a more interesting question emerges: which values of sauna remain unchanged even when the buildings, technologies and society around them continue to evolve?<\/p>\n

That is precisely the kind of question people working with sauna culture in different parts of the world will discuss in Oslo at the end of September.<\/p>\n

Three Days of Discussion About the Future of Sauna<\/h2>\n

International Sauna Congress 2026 will conclude on 26 September with the conference programme and an evening event bringing together sauna professionals and enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

But more important than the closing event itself will be the ideas participants take home from Oslo.<\/p>\n

The congress highlights one major trend very clearly: sauna culture is not disappearing in the modern world \u2014 it is finding new forms.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And sometimes those forms look very different from the sauna known by previous generations.<\/p>\n

Sources<\/h3>\n

International Sauna Congress 2026 \u2014 official congress information and programme<\/p>\n

International Sauna Association<\/p>\n

Norges Badstulaug<\/p>\n

The Well, Norway<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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