Finally, I was able to visit the Yrjönkatu swimming hall in Helsinki. It is right in the city center, a block away from the Stockmann department store. I've been wanting to for many years... did not recently due to the renovations that have been going for several years. But now it was opened just a week or two ago, and despite expectations it wasn't totally slammed full of people. In the pool I was at times even alone on my lanes. What a place! It is like a palace, a glimpse into a lost world. The tiles, the style, the air .. very, very well done.
But it is also a bit quirky. You can swim naked -- and in the past you had to swim naked, until that changed in 2001. On my visit this year half of the people were naked. And there's a second floor with relaxation rooms included for visitors, with beds, towels, bathrobes, etc. provided by the hall. And there's more saunas, including an infrared sauna, a steam sauna and a wood-fueled sauna. The latter was now out of use, and last week the hall had to be evacuated due to smoke smell. Hopefully they fix it, a wood burning sauna would be so nice.
Entrance is just 6€ for the first floor, which includes lockers for shoes, another locker at the changing rooms, two saunas (mild and medium hot), and the big 25-meter pool. For 2€ more you can book your own seated changing cabin. The second floor entrance is 20€The full price list is here.
The building is actually six stories high, there's couple of privately bookable saunas and a jacuzzi, prices range from 400 to 600€ if you are interested. And then there's small teaching pool and gyms in the upper floors.
The hall was taken into use 1928, so it is now 98 years old. And still going strong! The renovation was done very tastefully, using the original materials and tiles. Read more about the hall's history here.
BBC has listed this swimming hall in its short list of world's most beautiful swimming halls.
There's plenty of other stories about this legendary swimming hall:
Photos:
Second floor:
This article has also appeared here. Read all swimming stories at planetswimmer.com and sauna articles at saunablogger.cool. Or all blog articles from Blogspot. Photos and text (c) 2026 by Jari Arkko. Pool photo is by Helsingin Kaupunki, from their website, all rights held by them. The 2nd floor picture is by MyHelsinki.Fi, also from their website, all rights again held by them.
This article was originally published in the Planetskier Blogspot article series.
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