🏗️ From Prototype to Permanent Sauna
The sauna began as a prototype in 2015, named “Allmänna bastun,” built from recycled materials and designed by the architecture group Raumlabor Berlin. It symbolized a way for the people of Gothenburg to shape how the park would be used; it quickly became a popular meeting place by the river.
Unfortunately, the prototype suffered from mold damage and was closed in 2022, after which it was demolished to make way for a permanent structure.
🛠️ Construction Start and Inauguration of the New Sauna
Construction of a permanent sauna with the same design and in the same location began in December 2023.
The premiere of the entire Jubilee Park — including the harbor bath — took place at the city’s 400-year anniversary in early June 2023.
The new sauna opened to the public on July 9, 2024, with an inauguration event on August 20, 2024 — attended by the city gardener, local politicians, and cultural performances.
💡 Design and Function – What Makes the Sauna Unique?
The entire steel frame, facade sheets, and windows from the prototype were reused to preserve the iconic appearance.
The interior received more robust wood paneling but kept the same large windows to provide a wide view of the river.
The sauna room accommodates up to 25 people and is accessible by elevator.
Next to the sauna are two outdoor pools — one with fresh water and one with saltwater from the river — plus cold showers. All are free and open year-round.
🧊 From Cold Bath to Swimming Pools – A Lost Proximity?
The first version of the sauna already had a small cold bath — a tub with saltwater directly from the river, located just a few meters from the sauna. The setup resembled an outdoor jacuzzi but with icy seawater. Its location was ideal, especially in winter, allowing quick dips immediately after sauna sessions.
When the permanent sauna was built in 2023–2024, this small cold bath disappeared, replaced by two larger pools — one with fresh water and one with seawater. Although architecturally impressive and suitable for swimming, the pools are over 150 meters away from the sauna. For many visitors, this distance feels long, especially on cold days.
In practice, the seawater pool is not used for swimming, as the water is too cold most of the year. Most people settle for a quick dip — only the bravest swim more than a few dozen meters.
Many sauna visitors therefore miss the small cold bath from the first version. It was simple, effective — and above all, close.
Perhaps it’s time to consider a small cold tub again — function over form, especially for the sauna’s winter guests.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
- It is one of the few, perhaps the only municipal sauna, where there is a real wooden bucket and ladle for pouring water on the stove’s stones. In fact, both stoves have special spaces for water refilling, providing an authentic sauna experience.
- The sauna is well-ventilated and smells pleasant thanks to its completely wood-clad interior.
- The large panoramic window offers a fantastic view of the Göta River, contributing to a unique relaxation environment.
- The sauna accommodates up to about 25 people, making it one of the larger public sauna venues in Gothenburg.
Weaknesses:
- Because the sauna is so large, there are no effective rules for silence, which often makes it hard to find peace, even for a few minutes.
- Groups of visitors tend to talk loudly and drown each other out in different languages, creating a noisy environment — less suitable for those seeking quiet and relaxation.
- Despite repeated remarks, the sauna’s role seems more to be a social meeting place than a spot for calm and reflection. A sauna without silence loses much of its traditional meaning.
- Unlike other public saunas where nudity is the norm, nudity is forbidden at Jubilee Park Sauna — even during gender-separated times. Swimwear is mandatory here, creating a different and sometimes unexpected experience for sauna users used to classic sauna etiquette.
đź“… Opening Hours and Trial Operation
During summer 2024, the sauna was open Monday–Friday mornings (around 8–12) in trial operation, with follow-up on user requests for future sessions.
From August 20, 2024, the sauna enters regular operation according to the published schedule.
🌿 The Sauna as an Urban Development Project and Award-Winning Park
Jubilee Park, including the sauna and harbor bath, was nominated for and awarded, among other things, the Siena Prize 2019 for best landscape architecture in collaborative urban development.
The harbor bath also received the 2024 award for “Urban Development Project of the Year.”
âś… Summary
Jubileumsparken Sauna is more than a sauna experience — it is a symbol of open, test-based urban development where the voices of Gothenburg’s citizens are realized. From the 2015 prototype, demolition in 2022, to the permanent icon in August 2024 — here you can sauna and swim right in the city with views over the river, free of charge and highly accessible. An urban development success story recognized both locally and internationally.
