# In 2014, UNESCO protected a room with no chimney. On purpose.

- Series: [Saunantakaa](https://miu.fm/saunantakaa.md)
- Premieres: 2026-11-07
- Page: https://miu.fm/saunantakaa/in-2014-unesco-protected-a-room-with-no-chimney-on-purpose

## Story

In 2014, UNESCO protected a room with no chimney. On purpose.

The smoke sauna of Võromaa, in southeast Estonia. A fire burns for hours, the smoke circles the room and blackens the walls. Then the room is aired, and the heat stays.

But UNESCO did not protect the building. It protected what people do in it: the bathing, men and women together, "with mutual respect", says the file. The whisks, a year's supply tied after Midsummer. The meat smoked in the sauna; one family even built a smoke sauna just for meat. Young people drive 50 kilometres or more to a friend's sauna.

One thing, says the file, families do not share: the healing spells. Those stay in the family. The file writes down the stove, the whisks and the meat. Not the spells.

In Finland, too, the important things are said in the sauna. Not on paper. Mostly, not at all.

What would you never write down?

Sources: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, "Smoke sauna tradition in Võromaa", inscribed 2014 (Decision 9.COM 10.16), and its nomination file 26641: no chimney, the smoke circulates and the room is aired before bathing; men and women together with mutual respect; the year's whisks made after Midsummer; meat smoked in the sauna and a smoke sauna built just for meat; young people driving 50 km or more to a friend's sauna; healing spells kept in the family. Estonian Ministry of Culture. Wikipedia, Smoke sauna (heating takes hours).
Sounds: Freesound (CC0): LampEight, mcmikai, smand, cabled_mess, ramsamba, peridactyloptrix and others. Archive sounds: Yle Arkisto, CC BY 4.0.

## Follow

- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@saunantakaa
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saunantakaa/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1433995123119326
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saunantakaa

---

Under copyright law, a quotation must name its source: Miuradio, https://miu.fm/saunantakaa/in-2014-unesco-protected-a-room-with-no-chimney-on-purpose

© 2026 Miuradio, https://miuradio.com