Splash of Inspiration

Splash of Inspiration

Archimedes Banya: Combining healthy spa traditions from ancient world cultures

BY CRISTINA DEPTULA

Step in, the water’s warm and the people are friendly!

Archimedes Banya brings the best of Turkish, German, Roman, and Russian historical spa bathing culture to San Francisco. Thermal bathing and saunas were traditional health practices around the world. The Greek physician Hippocrates, considered the father of modern medicine, said that he could cure virtually any disease if he could create a fever in the human body. Currently, researchers at the University of Texas in Houston are looking into heat treatments for cancer.

Bathing in hot, steamy water can induce sweating which helps to remove impurities from the body. It re-hydrates your skin and makes it glow and can help sore muscles and joints. It can also stimulate your cardiovascular and immune systems, helping your blood circulation and bringing about some of the same benefits as exercising.

Bathing, of course, is also a great way to relax. Many people say Archimedes Banya helps them deal with stress and emerge refreshed, ready to face life, and sleep better at night. Known as the “cathedral of steam and heat,” the Banya creates a social atmosphere with large coed communal bathing rooms, steam rooms, and massage centers.

There’s also a cafe where patrons can eat, drink, and talk. Inspired by the traditional cuisines of cultures with a public bathing tradition, the food and beverages have been adapted to include local organic ingredients, vegetarian options, and treats such as kombucha. The food is intended to nourish body and soul, and patrons are encouraged to arrive on an empty stomach, bathe, and then replenish themselves.

There is an old Slavic saying, “If there are few banyas, we live in unity; if there are too many, we are lonely because one does not visit the other.” Public spas served as part of many cultural traditions, from Japan to Greece to several Native American tribes. They were gathering spaces integral to social and cultural life, where friendships, business deals, and political decisions were sealed.

Read more at https://issuu.com/rareluxuryliving/docs/troora_san_francisco_2021_pages/422