Bad Sauna
Sauna—the Finnish practice of steam bathing—has been around for thousands of years, providing a reliable source of both individual and collective wellbeing. In fact, you can find people getting together to sweat in most times and places, from the Turkish hammam to the Lakota sweat lodge, making steam bathing a truly universal human heritage. Bad Sauna (Swedish for “Bath Sauna”) aims to honor this tradition by reinvigorating sweat culture in modern city life. By so doing, we hope to lower our collective stress, create a relaxed space for civic life, and have fun. Come find out why old ways die hard.
Mariankadun sauna, Helsinki 1913
Photo: Signe Brander (1869-1942)
Partnership with Ascend
Bad Sauna is located behind Ascend rock climbing gym in Point Breeze. This puts our beautiful sauna within reach of a world-class climbing gym.
In addition to our dedicated sauna, cold plunge, and lounge areas (behind the gym), patrons of the sauna can access Ascend’s bathrooms, showers, and snack bar. Please just make sure to sign Ascend’s waiver on your first visit!
Ascend members receive a 20% discount on all trips to Bad Sauna. Just ask Ascend for your discount code.
Sauna Master
Greg Schaffer created Bad Sauna in 2023 following his certification as a “bath master” from the International Bath Academy in Vilnius, Lithuania. A lifelong Pittsburgher, Greg first fell in love with sweat bathing at Archimedes Banya in San Francisco and has been working to establish an authentic sweat bathing culture in his hometown ever since. Greg is also certified as a “sauna master” by the Deustche Sauna Akademie (Germany) and adds his knowledge of aufguss, a popular German sauna ritual, to his expertise in traditional Lithuanian sauna treatments and rituals (e.g. pirtis treatments), his knowledge of sweat bathing history and folklore, sauna microclimate, and human anatomy. In addition to his duties as bath master at Bad Sauna, Greg’s writing on sweat bathing culture has been published by the Hot Room and on the Bad Sauna blog, Bad News.
