The Janíček Community Garden is located in the Tismenice Valley, just a ten-minute walk from the center of the town of Tábor in South Bohemia. It has provided locals with a space for gardening and relaxation for the past 8 years. Now, thanks to a grant from Via’s Kaufland Community Garden program and the hard work of garden members, it has added a novel element. After months of work parties, a new wood sauna stands in the heart of the garden. It offers an authentic Finnish experience, a sense of community and direct contact with nature. Co-founder Valerie Procházková explained that the sauna’s operation will also be based on community principles: “Admission will be through voluntary donations for now. People can contribute toward the cost of firewood. And all visitors need to bring their own towel, bathrobe, a towel, water and good shoes — because we’re truly out in nature.”
A true Finnish community sauna experience
The new sauna is the brainchild of Finnish woodcarver and musician Esko Mäkinen, who lives in Tábor and has worked with the Janíček Community Garden for many years. It was he who pointed out that what Czechs think of as a “Finnish sauna” is far removed from Finnish tradition. “I noticed that if I want to go to a good sauna in the Czech Republic, I have to build it myself,” said Esko.
Esko has found that Czech “Finnish” saunas tend to lack ventilation. “The air inside doesn’t circulate. I can only sit in a sauna like that for a maximum of 10 minutes, and then I need oxygen. In a Finnish-style sauna, on the other hand, you can sit for hours because you always have fresh air,” said Esko. And the second problem with Czech saunas, in his experience, is that people think the sauna should be as hot as possible. “The ideal system, however, is to heat the sauna to 60–70 °C, then pour water over the stones on the stove; the temperature rises briefly to 80–85 °C and then slowly drops. This creates a certain rhythm and dynamic in the sauna,” he continued.
Spurred by Esko’s expertise, the Janíček Community Garden group decided to build their own version of a sauna – more of a sweat lodge, in fact – that is unconventional but multi-purpose. “We wanted to build a sort of yurt, but in the Finnish style—with a good stove and raised seating areas,” he said. In the end, the sauna took the form of a light-filled gazebo with fabric walls and a sturdy wooden frame. “In the summer, we’ll also use it as a nature classroom for children,” added Valerie Procházková.
Community events and private sauna moments
The Janíček Community Garden Sauna promotes what’s known as “social sauna-ing.” It’s not about enduring the highest possible temperature, but about spending time together in peace and respect, knowing that we’re all equal in the sauna. “In Finland, it’s considered bad manners to talk or make noise in the sauna. It’s a shared moment of relaxation. You sit in the sauna, enjoy the löyly (steam from the stones), then take a break, go outside, cool off a bit, and then come back in. You repeat this three, four, or five times. There’s no rush,” explained Esko.
He will guide people through public sauna events several times a year, even in the summer. “In Finland, we go to the sauna all year round. Even in the hot summer, the sauna has a cooling effect,” he noted.
Unlike spas, where guests cool off in tiled pools, sauna users at the garden will plunge directly into the Tismenice Creek, which flows from the Jordán Water Reservoir. “It’s something between a baptism and a rite of passage. A certain degree of discomfort actually adds to the depth of the whole experience,” claimed Valerie.
In addition to public sauna sessions, the community sauna will also be available for private events. “If a group wants to book a private sauna session, that’s possible. They just need to message us, and we’ll let others know it’s reserved at that time. The whole system is designed so you don’t need anyone there to open it for you. Those who sign up will receive keys, and we’ll explain what to do.” The sauna can hold 12-20 guests.
The construction of the sauna was part of a broader project called “Growing Under One Sky,” which received a grant of CZK 70,000 from the Via Kaufland program. “The idea for the sauna developed slowly, and without the grant, it might have taken a few more years to come to fruition. The fact that we took the plunge and resolved to buy a stove and a tarp pushed us to put the finishing touches on it. I’m glad we did. Tábor is a very community-oriented town; people aren’t afraid to get together somewhere. When someone has a crazy idea like this, others are willing to join in,” concluded Valerie.
