A sauna is a room or building designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these facilities. The steam and high heat make the bathers perspire. A thermometer in a sauna is typically used to measure temperature; a hygrometer can be used to measure levels of humidity or steam. Infrared therapy is often referred to as a type of sauna, but according to the Finnish sauna organizations, infrared is not a sauna.
A hammam, also often called a Turkish bath by Westerners, is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world. It is a prominent feature in the culture of the Muslim world and was inherited from the model of the Roman thermae. Muslim bathhouses or hammams were historically found across the Middle East, North Africa, al-Andalus, Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and in Southeastern Europe under Ottoman rule.
A gay bathhouse, also known as a gay sauna or a gay steambath, is a public bath targeted towards gay and bisexual men. In gay slang, a bathhouse may be called just "the baths", "the sauna", or "the tubs". Historically, they have been used for sexual activity.
Bathing is the immersion of the body, wholly or partially, usually in water, but often in another medium such as hot air. It is most commonly practised as part of personal cleansing, and less frequently for relaxation or as a leisure activity. Cleansing the body may be solely a component of personal hygiene, but is also a spiritual part of some religious rituals. Bathing is also sometimes used medically or therapeutically, as in hydrotherapy, ice baths, or the mud bath.
Public baths originated when most people in population centers did not have access to private bathing facilities. Though termed "public", they have often been restricted according to gender, religious affiliation, personal membership, and other criteria.
The Plant Bath is a historical bath in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was built along with the Champagne Bath in 1924 to try to improve the hygiene and well-being of the city's lower classes. It was named after Frank H. Plant, then mayor of Ottawa. It is located at 930 Somerset Street West at the intersection with Preston Street. It is in the center of the Italian-Canadian community and near the Chinese-Canadian areas of the city.
A health club is a place that houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise.
Warrender Swim Centre – traditionally known as Warrender Baths – is a swimming pool and fitness complex that opened in 1887 in Marchmont, Edinburgh.
Ironmonger Row Baths were built in two phases. The first, a public wash house and slipper baths, opened in 1931. The second phase, comprising the main swimming pool, the children's pool, and Victorian-style Turkish baths, opened in 1938. They are located at Ironmonger Row, in the St Luke's district, near Old Street, Islington, London.
The Marshall Street Baths in Westminster, London, were built in 1850. They were closed for refurbishment in 1997 and reopened on 27 July 2010 as a modernised leisure centre. The building is noted for its architecture and is Grade II listed.
The Royal Pump Rooms is a cultural centre on the Parade in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England. It was the most famous of several spa baths opened in Leamington between the late-18th and mid-19th centuries. People would travel from throughout the country, and indeed Europe, to benefit from treatments using the town's healing waters. When 'taking the waters' became less fashionable after the mid-19th century the Pump Rooms became Leamington's only surviving spa facility, later also being extended to include the town's public swimming pool. After a major redevelopment in 1997-99 the building now houses Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum, a public library, a Tourist Information Centre, cafe and assembly rooms. It is a Grade II listed building.
A steam bath is a steam-filled room for the purpose of relaxation and cleansing. It has a long history, going back to Greek and Roman times.
Garon Park is a recreational park located within the city of Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. The park is home to numerous sporting facilities including the Peter Butler Oval, a cricket ground used by Essex County Cricket Club, Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre and Garon Park Golf Complex. It is currently the home of Old Southendian Football Club, Old Southendian & Southchurch Cricket Club and Southend-on-Sea Athletic Club.
The National Sports Centre in Douglas Isle of Man is a large multi-sports centre and athletics stadium. The NSC is owned by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture of the Isle of Man Government and operated by the Manx Sport & Recreation.
Oasis Sports Centre is a leisure centre in Holborn, London, operated by Better on behalf of the London Borough of Camden.
Gay bathhouses in the United Kingdom are referred to as "gay saunas", as opposed to gay bathhouses, the term more commonly used in North America. There are gay saunas throughout the UK in most major cities, including eight in London.
Camberwell Public Baths opened in 1892 and has been in continuous operation as publicly funded community baths and more recently as a public leisure centre.
The Lukács Thermal Bath is a historic indoor/outdoor thermal bath spa in Budapest, Hungary, heated by natural hot springs. All pools and four saunas can be used by all guests except for the optional area of the sauna world, which contains five more saunas, ice cooling pool, igloo and heated roman bench.
Portobello Swim Centre is a multi-facility leisure venue in Portobello, Edinburgh. Built by Edinburgh City Architect Robert Morham in 1898, it comprises swimming pools, a gym and fitness studio, and Edinburgh's only authentic and publicly available Victorian Turkish bath, one of three remaining in Scotland, and one of only eleven in the whole of the UK. The salt water baths were completed in 1901.
The Victorian Turkish bath is a type of bath in which the bather sweats freely in hot dry air, is then washed, often massaged, and has a cold wash or shower. It can also mean, especially when used in the plural, an establishment where such a bath is available.
Bethnal Green