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Cities / Going Russian / Shopping / Samovar

Samovar

Widely used in Russia to boil water for tea, the samovar was invented by the brothers Lisitsyn in 1778 in Tula, the site of Russia's first armament factory.

In traditional samovars water is heated by means of a vertical tube, containing burning charcoal, running up the middle of the urn. A filled teapot is set atop the chimney to steep. A lighter brew can be obtained by adding more water to the teacup from the spigot.

Traditionally, a samovar was used for all household needs that required hot water, and almost all families possessed one. Many types of nearly 160 different forms - made from red, yellow, and green copper, silver, iron, and Tula steel - were available by the second half of the 19th century. There were chimneyless samovars for coffee, dual samovars for coffee and tea, travelling samovars with screw-on legs and handles positioned close to square bodies, and silver samovars with sets of sugar bowls, cups, tongs, and spoons. Handles, spouts, and supports were engraved with flower, plant, and animal designs as well as trademarks, medals, and emblems of the manufacturer. Later types of samovars are heated electrically.

Last update: 01.01.1970