"Banya" or the Finnish word "Sauna" have been around in Russia for many centuries, even though the word Banya is of Italian origin. The word came part of the Russian language during the second part of the 19th century with the "westernization" of the banya's design. Today, what is considered a sauna in the West is similar to what can be found in Russia and largely in the villages and in central, non-western Russia. Even though there is western similarities the Banya etiquette has not been changed to the Western sauna style.
