Frans Sillanp won the Nobel prize for literature in 1939. Contemporary Finnish architecture and sculpture have won a worldwide reputation. The Finns are particularly noted for their accomplishments in industrial arts, especially ceramics and glassworking. The Finnish theater is represented by some 40 professional companies. Opera, symphonies, and music festivals are popular.
Sports also play an important role in Finnish society.
Also popular are waterskiing, riding, fishing, and shooting. The sauna, a dry-heat bath in which water is sometimes poured over hot stones to produce steam, is a national tradition. It is common on farms and in city homes. Finland has been a leader in the passage of social legislation. In 1906 Finland granted equal suffrage to all its citizens.