Author:
Aija Stepanova, ģimenes pirtniece
Other domains
Oral traditions and their expressions, including language as a vehicle of intangible cultural heritage
Social practices, rituals and festive events
Traditional craft skills
Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe
Title
The Pirts (Pirts) Tradition in Latvia (2025)
Using the Pirts (Pirtī iešana)
The Latvian pirts tradition has several distinctive features.
First, the Latvian pirts, pirts, is traditionally a “wet” pirts. Since ancient times, Latvian families have practiced cleansing the body and maintaining health and well-being using heat, water, pirts steam, and Latvian herbs and natural products. In the pirts, people scrub, wash, and heal themselves with various whisks made from tree and shrub branches, as well as other Latvian wild and garden plants.
Second, pirts is a special building or room with a washing area equipped with benches and a stove with a stone pile. It is heated with firewood.
Pirtī iešana – nowadays, the word pirtošanās is also used in colloquial speech – i.e. using the pirts is a family tradition and many people in Latvia have their own, which is usually heated on weekends. The pirts tradition in Latvia is passed down from generation to generation and is considered an important part of life. People go to the pirts to cleanse their bodies, relax, and restore their strength. They take time to focus on their own and/or their family’s health and well-being.
Geography
All of Latvia
People of all ages, professions, educational backgrounds, religious and political beliefs, and social classes go to the pirts in Latvia. The tradition is most often maintained in family and/or friends’ pirtss. Pirts visits usually take place within the family and are passed down from generation to generation. Children learn the skills from their parents, grandparents, relatives, and family friends. Although numerous, this part of the community associated with the pirts tradition is invisible to the public because going to the pirts is done individually in one's own home, farmstead, or household.
The community also includes several local, informal groups of pirts enthusiasts that have formed in almost every Latvian city and larger village. These groups bring together people who enjoy going to the pirts and for whom it is an important part of their lives.
The public core of the community consists of several associations and organizations that bring together its most active members – families, professional pirts enthusiasts, pirts lovers, and friends of the pirts.
The pirts community is represented by numerous invisible family and clan micro-communities throughout Latvia and publicly by associations and interest groups. They are united by their love of the Latvian pirts, their knowledge of and skills with Latvian wild plants and other natural resources, and their contribution to maintaining human health and well-being.
The number of pirts tradition experts and practitioners grows every year, united by a desire to learn about and preserve this tradition and a sense of belonging. A wide range of people attend various training courses, seminars, festivals, camps, and other pirts events every year. They want to improve their knowledge and skills for healthier pirts use, diversify their skills, learn how to collect plants, and exchange experiences with like-minded individuals. By 2025, it is estimated that more than two thousand people will have studied at various pirts schools and informal interest groups. Of these, about 5% will choose to become professional pirts masters, while 95% will do so for their own and their families’ enjoyment. Many community members regularly meet in pirts to exchange information and learn from each other.
In addition to families, associations, and informal groups, the pirts community includes professional pirts masters who offer commercial services, often irregularly or alongside other work. This provides an opportunity for those who have missed out on pirts traditions in their families and foreign visitors who want to learn about the Latvian pirts to learn about them.
Significance of the pirts tradition in community life
The pirts tradition combines inherited knowledge, skills, and elements of modern culture. The fast pace of modern life has played a major role in reviving and developing this tradition by encouraging people to seek support in their ancestral heritage and reconnect with nature.
For many families, using the pirts is a regular part of life. It helps them “step out” of the daily rush, take care of their health, and spend time with loved ones.
In a sense, the pirts is a way of life for many families in Latvia. It includes not only using it, but also preparing for it well in advance: gathering firewood and collecting plants for pirts whisks and herbal teas in the woods and meadows.
Traditionally, a family pirts day is organized once a week, every two weeks, or once a month. It usually takes a lot of time, from the preparations to the pirts procedure itself. People not only heat up and cool down several times, bathe, and wash in the pirts, but also relax outside of it. This makes pirts days an important family tradition that strengthens family ties and passes the tradition on from generation to generation.
In today’s world, the concept of wellness is rapidly evolving. More and more studies are appearing on the effects of plants, heat, and water contrast procedures on the human body. As a result, people are turning their attention to these aspects and wanting to incorporate them into their daily lives. The pirts tradition also has its place in wellness practices. Interest in Latvia's living heritage and pirts tradition attracts foreign visitors, so it is important for us to understand and honor our traditions.
Activities
The pirts tradition is a set of inherited knowledge and skills that Latvian families have practiced since ancient times. It is dedicated to cleansing the body, maintaining health, and promoting well-being through the use of heat, water, pirts steam, and Latvian plants and natural resources.
In the pirts, people bathe, wash, and heal themselves with various whisks. The pirts is often referred to as a “healer of the body, mind, and soul” because pirts activities help people maintain well-being and harmony with the rhythms of nature.
The pirts is closely linked to the environment – specifically, the pirts building (room) with its washing room (pērtuve) are the places where ancient and modern cultural and everyday elements converge. Pirts buildings are often located near bodies of water and surrounded by gardens with medicinal plants that can be used in the pirts.
The pirts tradition places great importance on the seasons and the rhythm of nature, so the activities and means used in the pirts vary with each season. For instance, during the summer, freshly cut tree and shrub branches or plants are used for flapping. This varies depending on the individual approach, knowledge, skills, and abilities of each pirts attendant or enthusiast. People essentially create the experience according to the season, situation, and current needs.
There are two main stages in pirts tradition practices:
1) Preparing for the pirts, which includes gathering plants and other natural materials, tying them into whisks (besoms), herbal bundles, and tea mixtures; gathering firewood; heating the pirts; and preparing the pirts room;
2) The second stage is the pirts procedure itself, which involves washing, heating, cooling, and various elements (such as compresses, baths, inhalations, massages, and other activities with wild plants and natural products) according to each family’s customs.
During the pirts procedure, the body is gradually and deeply heated, which promotes sweating, cleansing, and the removal of toxins. This activates the body’s self-regulating mechanisms using pirts whisks, herbs, and other natural ingredients. In a traditional Latvian pirts, the steam room’s temperature usually varies from moderate to hot, maintaining an average microclimate within the range of 100–120 points, which is the sum of relative humidity and air temperature. For example, if the temperature in the steam room is ~50 °C, the relative humidity will be ~70%, or thereabout. This measure of heat and humidity opens up a wide range of possibilities for using plants and experiencing their effects on the body in the pirts tradition.
Pirts lovers usually climb onto the pirts bench once, but sometimes twice or even three times, before a proper session to warm up and cleanse the body with herbal besoms and scrubs using various massage techniques. Natural scrubs and masks made from wild plants and natural ingredients have become very popular nowadays. Examples include plant bundles, brushes, coarse linen, nettle or hemp cloths, bush bark, and root brushes. Local natural ingredients for body masks, including clays of all colors, mud, berries, and honey are used for body masks. Once the body has been thoroughly warmed up and cleansed, it is time for flapping with a whisk (pēršanās or pērte) and contrast procedures, such as pouring water on the body to cool it down.
A Latvian folk song from the past aptly describes the ancient pirts rituals, which have not changed much even today: “Thank you, thank you, pirts heater / Thank you, water carrier / Thank you, whisk maker / Thank you, back scrubber” (Tdz 55374,2).
As historian Mārtiņš Kuplais emphasizes: “Almost all peoples in northeastern Europe consider themselves to be the discoverers of the steam bath because the Finnish pirts, the Russian banya, and the Latvian pirts are similar in structure and method of use. However, only the Latvian “flap” (pērt) is associated with one of the main activities in the pirts. The traditional Latvian pirts is a wet pirts that uses hot air, moisture (steam), water, and plants to affect the human body.”
Beliefs, rituals, and unwritten rules
The pirts tradition in Latvia is both family-oriented and intimate. It respects the naked human body because it is healthier to go to the pirts without clothes. Nowadays, each pirts-goer practices this according to their individual upbringing, beliefs, and family traditions.
Latvian pirts traditions are amply reflected in Latvian folklore, including beliefs, rituals, customs, folk songs, spells, fairy tales, and stories, as well as unwritten, orally transmitted conditions, or pirts ethics. For a more detailed description, see the section “Text materials.”
Inheritance and transmission
The pirts tradition is mainly passed down within families. Pirts-related activities and knowledge are usually learned from parents and grandparents. This includes knowledge of the pirts-goer community, practical experience passed on within the community, and stories and memories.
In recent decades, several large and small formal and informal pirts schools have been established in Latvia. At these schools, one can learn knowledge and skills related to pirts traditions. These include pirts preparation, such as wood selectionm, procurement, and burning; making or the whisks (besoms); and flapping techniques and methods. Pirts-related knowledge is also acquired in small interest groups and, as in the past, directly from experienced pirts masters, who play a central role within the community and share their knowledge and skills.
This knowledge is supplemented and enriched not only by the knowledge and skills passed down through families and acquired empirically, but also by reflections on traditions found in periodicals and books.
In recent decades, educational pirts-related events, seminars, and festivals have become popular. These events allow pirts community members from all over Latvia to exchange knowledge and improve and diversify their pirts experiences.
History
The pirts tradition in Latvia is very old. According to archaeologist Guntis Zemītis, evidence of pirts can be found in Latvian archaeology. For example, evidence was found during archaeological excavations in the Talsi castle mound, which was inhabited from the 11th to 14th centuries.
The oldest written records of the pirts tradition are found in two 13th-century chronicles: the Henricus Lettus’s Livonian Chronicle and the Rhymed Chronicle. Written records of pirts can also be found in witch trial protocols. “Starting in the 16th century, these protocols provide information about massaging and washing in pirts” (Straubergs 1944:13).
There is also a great deal of information about pirts in folklore sources, such as folk songs, beliefs, and descriptions of customs. “The general method of treatment was the usual one: sweating in the pirts. With its help, all diseases were treated” (LFK 69, 549). Beliefs indicate that rubbing and kneading, or ancient massage techniques, were used specifically in the pirts. There was a bench on which to lay the patient, as well as heat and steam, which helped the body relax and surrender to the healing process (LTT 16353; 16354; 25387, etc.). Medical historians point out that “healing often took place in the pirts in ancient times” (Derums 1978:193).
“Healing was done with the help of plants, using plant decoctions, placing them on pirts stones or in washing water, or adding them to the whisk, as well as for various other therapeutic activities” (Alksnis 1932a:13).
In the past, the pirts was the only place on a farm where one could properly wash. It was heated every other Saturday or every Saturday if heavier work was done on the farm (Bīlenšteins 2001: 108–110). “The pirts was not only a place for washing, but also for healing. People were born in the pirts, laid to rest in the pirts, and warmed themselves in the pirts when they were cold” (Jirgens 1934:145).
Despite various restrictions and historical events, the pirts tradition in Latvia has continued from ancient times to the present day, influenced by different eras. For instance, during the Soviet occupation, many pirts became entertainment venues where alcohol was consumed and social events took place. The term “Finnish pirts” is still used today, but it has nothing to do with traditional Finnish pirtss or traditions. Rather, it refers to places and types of recreation during the Soviet occupation of Latvia.
However, despite these influences, the pirts tradition in Latvia has survived and continues to be passed on.
Today, the pirts tradition has gained a new function. Whereas in the past, pirts were primarily places for washing and healing, today, in addition to cleansing the body, the pirts has become a “haven of peace” and a regular family ritual where families relax and spend time with loved ones or friends. The pirts is now not only a place to maintain health but also a place to achieve well-being and feel connected to nature. In the 21st century, the healing, recreational, social, and ritual significance of the pirts has increased (Krūmiņa 2011: 13).
As medicine and research have developed, most healing functions have been taken over by medicine. They are no longer practiced in the pirts tradition. In cases of acute illness, people go to the doctor instead of the pirts, as was common in the past. Childbirth in the pirts, once common, is now rare.
However, for many, going to the pirts remains an integral part of life and a necessary practice for maintaining health using various methods and natural remedies. The pirts tradition can support preventive healthcare today, as pirts can help solve modern problems such as burnout syndrome, stress, depression, and tension. Pirts can also improve metabolism and skin condition, promote detoxification, reduce inflammation, lower the risk of lung and respiratory diseases, solve chronic fatigue problems, improve sleep quality, and increase physical endurance and energy. Additionally, many people consider using the pirts a regular necessity to feel good, maintain a harmonious psychosocial state, and strengthen their work capacity and overall quality of life.
Currently, the pirts tradition in Latvia is experiencing a revival thanks to continuous practice and the pirts community's interest in preserving, developing, and promoting the tradition.
Additional Information
Other types and values of Latvia’s intangible cultural heritage are also related to the pirts tradition.
TRADITIONAL CRAFTS
The a tradition is inseparable from its environment – specifically, pirts buildings or spaces with steam rooms that provide the appropriate conditions and microclimate. Pirts are among the oldest Latvian buildings and have remained almost unchanged over the centuries (Vēveris & Kuplais, 1989, p. 108). It was the smallest building on a farmstead and was located in the most remote part so as not to pose a fire hazard to the other buildings (Bīlenšteins, 2001, p. 108). Perhaps the skills of building and furnishing a pirts should be highlighted as a separate element of intangible cultural heritage, as this traditional knowledge is still passed down and practiced today by carpenters, bricklayers, dowsers, stove builders, blacksmiths, and other craftsmen.
The pirts tradition includes the practical knowledge and skills of making pirtsslotas (whisks or besoms). First, plants, tree, and shrub branches are collected. Then, they are tied into whisks and dried and stored so that the plants retain their color, aroma, and durability until the next summer. Nowadays, one can learn the skills of making whisks through family tradition or by attending training courses.
Other traditional craftsmen are also involved in the pirts tradition. These include wooden handicrafts (such as buckets and bowls), weavers’ masterpieces (such as hats, towels, blankets, and sheets), and blacksmiths’ works (such as door fittings, cups, and bells). Beekeepers also contribute to the pirts tradition by providing beeswax, candles, honey, wax and propolis ointments. These handcrafted items are usually used for practical purposes, such as fittings for the pirts and objects for creating a certain atmosphere.
ORAL TRADITIONS, INCLUDING LANGUAGE AS A CARRIER OF INTANGIBLE CULTURE
The pirts tradition includes its own vocabulary, such as pērtuve, lāva, pēriens, pērte, uzmest garu, pirtsslota, pirtnieks, and pirtsmīlis. Rich evidence of this vocabulary can be found in folklore records. Descriptions of customs, beliefs, fairy tales, legends, and folk songs mention the pirts and using the pirts. For example, the virtual folk song catalog www.dainuskapis.lv contains more than 300 folk songs about the pirts and pirts rituals. For a collection of beliefs related to the pirts, see the section “Text materials.”
Sometimes, songs are sung in the pirts. While not all families in Latvia sing folk songs in the pirts, every region has singing families, as well as active members of choirs and folklore groups, who naturally bring songs into the pirts and pass this musical heritage on to their children. Several music recordings of pirts songs have been released. For example, the post-folk group Iļģi released the album “Tur saulīte pērties gāja” in 2011.
KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES RELATED TO NATURE AND THE UNIVERSE
The pirts tradition in Latvia is “green” because maintaining it requires knowledge of and skillful use of trees, plants, and other natural resources in pirts procedures. The pirts community is well-versed in Latvian plants – each family brings only those that they know and can easily collect in the surrounding area.
Despite the modern trend of using purchased volcanic rocks in stoves, many places respect and appreciate Latvia’s natural riches by using local stones. Only a skilled expert in the pirts tradition knows how to find the most suitable stones, devoting a great deal of attention and time to this process. In the Latvian pirts tradition, the spirit of the pirts is maintained by the stones in the stove. These stones lie in a rich pile on the stove and can withstand the power of the live fire.
Knowledge of nature and the universe is used to determine the optimal times for gathering plants and preparing wood for heating. Only the finest deciduous wood is used and prepared in advance, stored separately from other firewood. Since ancient times, pirts traditions have also considered the influence of the sun and moon, particularly with regard to gathering and preparing plants. For instance, the summer solstice, Midsummer, is considered a special time when all plants are believed to have healing powers. Today, the pirts community includes pirts masters and enthusiasts who observe rituals related to the sun and moon, as well as their influence on water and people.
TRADITIONS, RITUALS, AND CELEBRATIONS
The pirts tradition includes annual and family celebrations and rituals. In anticipation of the summer solstice, for instance, a herbal pirts session (Zāļu pirts) is held in many places in Latvia, and the steam room and benches are covered with Midsummer herbs gathered in meadows and along forest edges. During Zāļu pirts, both practical and symbolic health maintenance activities are often performed, such as washing in dew and collecting dew.
In recent years, the pirts postpartum tradition, or saru dzīšana, has been revived based on various ethnographic records. Although childbirth in the pirts is rare nowadays, pirtižas, a ritual for newborns and mothers, has gained popularity among new parents. Experienced family pirts attendants usually perform this colorful and symbolic ritual. Every detail of the process is important: the twigs used in the whisk, the wood chosen for the stove, the towels, the ritual bath, and the other pirts rooms. The pirts is heated to a moderate temperature so that it is comfortable for the mother and baby. If the baby is a boy, oak wood is used for heating; if a girl, linden or pine wood is used. A herbal bath is prepared with special care for washing the baby. During the ritual, the baby is washed, and its skin is cleansed with the mother’s milk. Special folk songs are sung during the ritual. After the baby is washed and cleansed, the mother receives a massage with a specially prepared whisk.
Not only pirtīžas, but also “washing the bride’s back” and special rituals during the ghost season in autumn have entered Latvian pirts culture in recent decades.
Masters
Pirts traditions in Latvia are actively practiced by young and old alike. Pirts experts, or masters, develop naturally within families, usually take on the roles of heating and cleaning the pirts, as well as serving as attendants and ritual leaders. These roles often overlap and change as the youngest family members grow up. Some of the most active family members eventually become skilled in various crafts, such as making pirts whisks, gathering herbs, and making herbal mats. Therefore, if you know a family with pirts traditions personally, they will be the best advisors and will know how to teach you what to do in the pirts.
Customs passed down in families and pirts knowledge acquired in interest groups of enthusiasts and lovers, friends’ pirts, and educational events are important contributions to the preservation and maintenance of pirts traditions. At these events, people willingly share their experiences and actively learn from each other.
The pirts community in Latvia is large – every region has many pirts and pirts-goers. It is impossible to list all the pirts enthusiasts and lovers in Latvia because many choose to keep this tradition secret within their families. However, it is worth mentioning some of the most active pirts enthusiasts (listed by region), who have accumulated a wealth of experience and are happy to share their knowledge with anyone interested.
PIRTS MASTERS IN KURZEME:
• Aivis Mangulis: pirts tub craftsman;
• Anita Ozoliņa: pharmacist, herbalist, and director of various training courses;
• Aurika Lībiete: herbalist and head of the Saldus Pirtss Friends Saules Slotas Association;
• Gundars Sildegs: pirts master and researcher of pirts traditions;
• Gunta Auzenbaha: herbalist;
• Ieva Kolosova: environmental engineer, training manager, and co-author of video materials and books about the pirts in English and Japanese;
• Ilze Svilpe: herbalist and pirts training instructor;
• Jānis Ozoliņš: financier and researcher of the historical development of pirts;
• Liene Zvirbule: herbalist and various training instructor;
• Līga Reitere: herbalist, storyteller, and promoter of intangible cultural heritage;
• Māra Tīmane: environmental guide, herbalist, and artist;
• Nauris Auzenbahs: craftsman;
• Normunds Francis: food craftsman and pirts master;
• Pēteris Donga: one of the first promoters of pirts traditions in Latvia and owner of a pirts and guest house;
• Rasma Biezbārde: pirts clothing seamstress and herbalist;
• Vilnis Beihmanis: wood craftsman and pirts master.
PIRTS MASTERS IN ZEMGALE:
• Aelita Batņa (Vilde-Batņa): Head of the Lauku Pirtnieki Association and the Lielzemenes Pirts School, director of various events and training courses;
• Aija Stepanova – director of the Latvju Pirts un Spa Association (Latvian Pirts and Spa Association) and family pirts master;
• Igors Stepanovs: fermented tea craftsman and leader of various training courses.
• Ilga Gavare: biologist, mushroom expert, leader of various training courses, and pirts hostess;
• Inese Vasiļevska: herbalist and natural cosmetics producer;
• Jānis Zustrups: Pirts ABC training instructor and masseur;
• Juris Batņa: doctor, psychotherapist, author of various publications, and training course leader;
• Kristīne Sīle – owner of the Zemgale Everti heritage farmstead, director of the “Laika ratu pietura Evertos” (Time Stop in Everti) festival, and folklore and tradition researcher;
• Lienīte Vītiņa: event organizer, manager, and pirts hostess;
• Līga Ļaksa: teacher, pirts whisk craftsperson, and training director;
• Olita Puriņa: folklore and tradition researcher and training instructor;
• Sandra Strēle: artist and director of various training courses;
• Santa Matveja: teacher and plant expert;
• Valters Puriņš: pirts builder and master.
PIRTS MASTERS IN VIDZEME:
• Aigars Braža: pirts host;
• Aigars Kruvesis: head of the Lielvārde Pirts Water School, author of various publications, and pirts training instructor;
• Aigars Sondors: pirts training manager and researcher of pirts traditions;
• Aivars Dirnēns: pirts master;
• Alvis Paeglītis: Dr. Biol., author of pirts training courses at the Latvian Academy of Sports Education and a researcher of pirts traditions;
• Anrijs Tamisārs: masseur and director of various trainings and events;
• Dzintars Alksnis: pirts whisk and torch craftsman;
• Evita Dedze: herbalist;
• Guna Zablocka: masseuse and artist;
• Inga Geduševa: belt weaver and herbalist;
• Ilmārs Zemnieks: pirts host;
• Ilze Briede: hostess;
• Ināra Viļķina: pirts hostess and event organizer;
• Inese Krūmiņa: weaver; leader of the 3x3 movement in Latvia; author of the book Spiritual Aspects of the Pirts Ritual;
• Inese Mālniece – herbalist and therapist;
• Ingars Ozolnieks: blacksmith and pirts expert;
• Ivars Vallers: pirts equipmentcraftsman and event and training director;
• Iveta Gulbe: herbalist and pirts hostess;
• Iveta Zemniece: herbalist and researcher of pirts traditions;
• Ivita Pičukane: medical professional, director of the Pirts kā Māksla creative association and instructor of various courses;
• Jānis Pavlovičs: leader of the Pirmā Pirtnieku Komanda and pirts host;
• Juris Kraucis: researcher of pirts traditions and director of various training courses;
• Laila Plātere: herbalist and pirts hostess;
• Laila Sējāne: herbalist and pirts expert;
• Laila Zaksa: medical practitioner and masseuse;
• Liene Biseniece: pirts training manager;
• Māra Zute: Director of the accredited professional education institution, SIA Pirts skola (Pirts School). Organizes pirts training and events abroad;
• Miervaldis Kaļāns: pirts master and Dižozoli nature trail guide;
• Nauris Mālnieks: craftsman and director of various pirts training courses;
• Nauris Zutis – Head of the Saulei Association, pirts training instructor, author of publications and video materials;
• Ojārs Bistrovs: pirts host;
• Roberts Šilings: pirts and guest house owner; folklore and tradition researcher;
• Romualds Lamsters: head of the pirts and healthy lifestyle school, author of various publications and training courses;
• Solvita Kūna: herbalist and producer of essential oils and hydrolates from Latvian plants;
• Uldis Rudzītis: head of the Latvian Pirts Association and Pirts Master;
• Uldis Zīle – pirts host and training instructor;
• Valda Vītola: folk song and pirts tradition researcher, author of the book Pirtī mana dvēselīte ar Dieviņu runājās (My Soul Spoke with God in the Pirts);
• Vija Sondora: accountant and researcher of pirts traditions;
• Vilnis Lejnieks: author and director of various training courses. Head of the Pirts kā Māksla creative association;
• Zanda Priedniece: pottery kiln owner and craftswoman;
• Ziedonis Kārkliņš: one of the first promoters of pirts traditions in Latvia. Head of the Ziedonis Kārkliņš Pirts School. Author of several books and publications. Training director.
PIRTS MASTERS IN LATGALE AND SĒLIJA:
• Ainārs Dārznieks: pirts craftsman and host;
• Andris Kiščenko: pirts host;
• Dzintra Abarone: herbalist, craftswoman, and organizer of events and training courses;
• Ingūna Rauda: teacher, herbalist, storyteller, and pirts expert;
• Jānis Abarons: pirts owner and craftsman;
• Kristīne Šišlova: herbalist and pirts hostess;
• Liene Lukjanenko: lecturer, physiotherapist, and researcher of pirts traditions;
• Nellija Kiščenko: herbalist and researcher of pirts traditions.
Other Latvian pirts enthusiasts practice pirts traditions daily in their own or their friends’ pirts.
Institutions and Organizations
Various pirts associations promote the study, preservation, and transmission of pirts traditions to future generations through their activities. The largest of these are:
• The Latvian Pirts and Spa Association, a nonprofit organization that, in 2017, brought together several pirts masters and enthusiasts, as well as their organizations and associations. Membership in the association is voluntary and based on personal initiative, with families often participating extensively in its activities;
• Latvijas Pirts savienība is the oldest pirts organization in Latvia and was founded in 2004.
Several Latvian museums are involved in preserving pirts traditions and revealing their cultural and historical significance, including the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, the Pharmacy Museum (a branch of the P. Stradins Museum of the History of Medicine), the Turaida Museum Reserve, and the Pirts Museum in Saulkrasti County. Pirts-related exhibitions and events are held periodically in other Latvian museums and cultural centers.
Reinforcement
Since Latvia regained its independence, the pirts tradition has experienced a revival and continues to develop. During this time, pirts-related organizations, schools, and associations have been established throughout Latvia. Many events have been organized, including pirts days, seminars, conferences, congresses, festivals, competitions, and themed events as part of city celebrations and other significant public events. The pirts community is so large that it is impossible to list everything it has achieved.
In 2004, Latvijas Pirts savienība (Latvian Pirts Association) was founded to bring together pirts experts and enthusiasts. These individuals organize various gatherings, training sessions, mastery competitions, conferences and knowledge and experience exchange events in Latvia, Lithuania, and other countries. They have also participated in international sauna congresses and events organized by embassies. As the pirts community’s social activities expanded, the Code of Ethics for Pirts was developed and approved in 2007. The Latvian Pirts Association also founded the Latvian Pirts Master Show, a recognized format for experienced pirts masters to exchange knowledge and experience.
Since 2010, the Republic of Latvia has included the professions of “pirts attendant” (pirtnieks) and “pirts master” (pirts meistars) in its classification of professions.
In 2017, several pirts masters and enthusiasts joined together to form the Latvian Pirts and Spa Association. The association’s purpose is to protect and develop pirts traditions and promote their recognition. The association organizes and participates in informative and educational events and organizes pirts and health festivals, as well as competitions for children, young people, and young pirts masters. These events bring together the large pirts community and various interested parties every year. In 2018, professional standards for pirts attendants and masters were developed and approved, clearly distinguishing professionals from family pirts enthusiasts. In 2022, the first list of pirts terms was approved. The project “Get to Know Your Regional Pirts Master” began in 2022 and involves traveling around Latvia to meet various pirts masters and enthusiasts in different regions (e.g., Dobele, Saldus, Bauska, and Ķekava). This ongoing project brings together the pirts community throughout Latvia.
Information about pirts traditions is available at several museums, including the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, which features pirts from different regions of Latvia; the Turaida Museum Reserve, which has a permanent exhibition called “Latvian Pirts Traditions”; the Pharmacy Museum, which has a permanent exhibition called “Black Pirts”; and the Liepāja Museum, which has an exhibition called “The Pirts as a Sanctuary.” The private Pirts Museum in Saulkrasti County has an exhibition providing an overview of the history and development of pirts buildings, as well as a photo exhibition titled “The Development of Latvian Pirts Culture.”
Pirts use is promoted in the press and other print and digital media. Educational and informative video materials, books, and publications in periodicals have been prepared and published, and research has been conducted. Members of the pirts community have participated in television and public media projects, discussing the pirts and pirts bathing.
In recent years, the pirts community has grown larger and more cohesive. Its active core regularly meets to learn and share knowledge and experience with other community members and anyone interested, both in Latvia and abroad. The tradition continues through various events and training courses thanks to community members’ involvement and the promotion of pirts traditions in society. Events organized by the community, regular training sessions, and projects implemented with support from the European Union, the State Culture Capital Foundation, and other state and local government institutions have significantly contributed to the existence, preservation, and development of the pirts tradition. Publications, video materials, and information on social media have also contributed to the development and recognition of pirts traditions.
No state or municipal budget funding is allocated for preserving pirts traditions. Implementation of the pirts community’s plans depends on funding obtained from project competitions, as well as the community members’ initiatives, voluntary involvement, and resources.
Most funding for maintaining pirts traditions has been and will continue to be obtained by submitting projects to the State Culture Capital Foundation and other competitions organized by state and local governments, as well as grants to the non-governmental sector. Local government support has also been received indirectly by involving public relations, tourist information centers, and cultural departments in organizing events. In addition, community members provide invaluable support through their enthusiasm, participation, and volunteer work.
Continuation/development
To preserve the pirts tradition in Latvia, the Latvian Pirts and Spa Association has developed a plan to research and document Latvian pirts traditions. This plan will be implemented with the help of association and pirts community members, as well as state and local government partners.
The plan includes documenting pirts experiences and collaborating with traditional culture and ethnography researchers. The tradition will be documented by creating a pirts handbook that will serve as a useful publication for the community and interested audiences. It will also record knowledge and skills related to the tradition’s current development.
To preserve the pirts tradition in Latvia and raise its profile among the general public, the pirts community plans to organize several events each year in various locations throughout Latvia, including Pirts Days, a Pirts Festival, and informative discussion and educational seminars. To determine the prevalence of pirts traditions in Latvia, the association plans to launch a large-scale campaign to count pirts enthusiasts and lovers, while also informing the public about the importance of the tradition. The public will also be informed and engaged through social networks.
These activities aim to preserve the pirts tradition in Latvia by uniting the pirts community and explaining the tradition’s significance to the public. They also aim to strengthen the community’s knowledge of the tradition’s essence and promote awareness and responsibility among community members for preserving and passing on the tradition.
Threats
Currently, there is no direct threat to the pirts tradition because pirts bathing is a widely practiced and maintained tradition throughout Latvia. The main potential risk is related to changes in society’s lifestyle. The fast pace of 21st-century life means that parents and grandparents often lack the time to regularly visit the pirts with their children, which makes it difficult to pass on the tradition naturally.
Due to the time it takes to heat a pirts, both in preparing the firewood and slowly heating the stove, wood-fired wet pirts are increasingly being replaced by electrically heated dry pirts. This is also considered a threat to the Latvian pirts tradition. There are fewer and fewer so-called black pirts in Latvia, which take at least five to six hours to heat and prepare.
Similarly, whisks made from non-native plants (eucalyptus, lavender, etc.) sold in supermarkets threaten the tradition of making one’s own pirts whisks. As the majority of the population lives in cities, especially young people, their connection with nature diminishes, as does their knowledge of how to use natural resources. This indirectly affects the pirts tradition, in which recognizing, collecting, and using wild medicinal plants is important.
Another threat to the Latvian pirts tradition is its commercialization, or the exploitation of living heritage for personal gain. While a relatively small number of pirts school graduates become professional pirts masters, serving not only their own families but also offering pirts services to others, it is true that many more become entrepreneurs.
Applicant
Biedrība “Latvju pirts un spa asociācija” (Latvian pirts and spa association), Registration No. 40008111836
Image Gallery
Video materials:
Text Materials
Publications
Alksnis, J. (1932). Veselība un ārstēšanās.
Ančevska, I. (2020). Latviešu dziedināšanas tradīcija. Rīga: Zinātne.
Balode, G., Kārkliņš, Z. (2003). Dziedinošā pirts. Rīga: Apgāds Zvaigzne ABC.
Bīlenšteins, A. (2001). Latviešu koka celtnes un sadzīves priekšmeti. 1. daļa. Rīga: Jumava.
Derums, V. (1978). Tautas veselība un dziedniecība senajā Baltijā. Rīga: Zinātne.
Iļģi (2011). Tur saulīte pērties gāja. Tradicionālās mūzikas albums/CD. Rīga: Upe tuviem un tāliem.
Kursīte, J. (2014). Latvieša māja. Jelgava: Rundas.
Latviešu tautas ticējumi (1940). 3. sējums. Sakrājis un sakārtojis prof. Pēteris Šmits. Rīga: Latviešu folkloras krātuve.
Straubergs, K. (1944). Latviešu tautas paražas. Rīga: Latvju grāmata.
Stumbre, S., Zinkevičs G. (2007). Pirtnieku stāsti. Rīga: Saimnieks LV.
Zāļu dienas latviešu tradicionālā pirts. (2006) Rīga: Izdevniecība Indriķis.
Websites
Biedrības “Latvju Pirts un SPA Asociācija” mājaslapa - Informācija par Latvju pirts un SPA Asociāciju, tās realizētajiem projektiem un pasākumiem.
Latvju Pirts un SPA Asociācijas mājas lapa sociālajā tīklā Facebook. - Aktuālā informācija par biedrības projektiem un pasākumiem.
Biedrības “Latvijas Pirts savienība” mājaslapa. - Informācija par Latvijas Pirts savienību, tās realizētajiem projektiem un pasākumiem .
Pirts termini un definīcijas - LZA Terminoloģijas komisijas 12.04.2022. lēmums Nr. 102 "Par pirts terminu saraksta apstiprināšanu".
Pirts muzeja mājaslapa. - Informācija par Saulkrastu novadā esošā Pirts muzeja darbību un ekspozīciju.
Latviešu dziedināšanas tradīcija. - Etnoloģes Ievas Ančevskas mājas lapa sociālajā tīklā Facebook, kur cita starpā tiek publicēta informācija par pirti un augiem.