In a celebration of their shared sauna culture, Estonia and Finland have set a new Guinness World Record for "Most Photos of People in Saunas Posted on Facebook in One Hour." The event took place on International Sauna Day, June 8, 2024, and saw 3,909 sauna photos uploaded during the designated hour, with 3,602 officially counted towards the record.
Thousands of participants joined the effort, sharing photos of their sauna experiences between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM Finnish and Estonian time.
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To qualify, the images had to depict a person seated in a sauna, with all private areas appropriately covered. The record attempt, coordinated through a dedicated Facebook group, was a joint effort between the two nations known for their rich sauna traditions.
"This was a unique and exciting event for Estonia. While Finland has broken sauna-related records before, no one has attempted something of this scale. It was only natural for two sauna-loving nations to join forces for this achievement," said Anneli Lepp, Director of Visit Estonia, who spearheaded the event.
A Global Celebration of Sauna Culture
Though the record was a collaboration between Estonia and Finland, the event saw global participation. While Estonians and Finns led the effort, nearly 300 photos came from Latvia, and images were submitted from 47 countries across six continents. Notable contributions came from as far away as Thailand, New Zealand, and Japan, where Finnish-style saunas have been gaining popularity.
"It’s wonderful to see how sauna culture resonates with people all over the world. Sauna is deeply rooted in Finnish and Estonian life, and its appeal is growing internationally," said Heli Jimenez, Senior Director at Visit Finland. "The word 'sauna' is the most widely adopted Finnish word globally, and this tradition is a cornerstone of Finland's cultural identity."
A Sauna Record with Global Impact
The process of verifying the photos was no easy task. Lea Sudakova, a lecturer at Estonia’s University of Life Sciences and official Guinness World Records adjudicator, oversaw the process. "It was both challenging and fun. We received more than one photo per second during the hour, and at times, the internet slowed down due to the sheer number of uploads," she said.
While some participants didn’t make it before the time limit, all photos submitted were carefully reviewed, and only those meeting Guinness’ strict criteria were counted. "The joy of sauna was evident in every picture," Sudakova noted, adding that many sauna communities went to great lengths to capture their experiences.
A Sauna Tradition for the Future
The record-breaking event highlights the deep cultural significance of sauna in Finland and Estonia, both of which have their sauna traditions recognized by UNESCO as part of humanity's intangible cultural heritage. Sauna Day, celebrated annually on the second Saturday in June, was first established in Finland in 1986, and this year’s achievement brought the tradition to a global stage.
"Sauna is an everyday part of life for both Finns and Estonians. This world record reminds everyone of the importance and roots of sauna culture," said Janne Koskenniemi, Executive Director of the Finnish Sauna Society, who participated in organizing the event.
Guinness World Records judge Seyda Subasi-Gemici praised the creativity and passion behind the attempt. "We always love to see the ingenuity people bring to their record attempts, and this sauna challenge is a perfect example of that," she said. "It was amazing to witness the global love for sauna culture."
Looking Ahead to Next Year
Building on this year’s success, the organizers are already considering repeating the event and possibly setting an even higher record next year. "We hope to increase international participation and invite sauna lovers from around the world to join us on Sauna Day," Lepp hinted. "One thing is certain: our sauna tradition is strong, and it has much to offer the world."
The event was organized by Visit Estonia in partnership with the Finnish Sauna Society, Visit Finland, the International Sauna Association (ISA), and the Estonian Rural Tourism Organization Maaturism.
HT
