Russian Dachas and Banyas

Dacha (дача)

Due to the close quarters of Russian apartments and compact, centrally-planned Russian cities, many Russians look to country houses or “dachas” for greenery, fresh air, peace and quiet

Dachas are usually located in the countryside in “dacha settlements”

Dacha (cont.)

They are simple homes, sometimes without running water or electricity, though some have these amenities today

They are heated with a traditional Russian oven(see picture)

According to a 2008 poll in Moscow, 56% of urban Russians have a dacha

“Kitchen garden” (огород)

Most dachas have a garden for vegetables and flowers. Commonly people grow staple foods to provide themselves with fresh, homegrown vegetables – tomatoes, garlic, potatoes, onions, etc.

Баня

Dachas often have a second small building on their plot – a “banya” (Russian-style sauna)

Banyas are heated for hours by a woodburning metal oven. They get very hot, usually hotter than the famous Finnish or Turkish baths.

Баня Banyas include 2 main rooms: an

anteroom (предбанник) where people sit to cool off, and the hot room.

Traditionally Russians hit one another with birch branches (веники) in the sauna. This is supposed to be good for the skin and also increases the heat.

Often they dump ice cold water on themselves or jump in the snow after getting hot