Самовар / Samovar

My own personal Tula samovar

The samovar can be found in homes, schools, government buildings, and even trains all across Russia.  Though it has common ancestors, it is truly a Russian creation.  It has come to represent hospitality and good fortune in the Russian home.  The word samovar literally means "self-boiler" and consists of an urn where water is kept hot, over which a pot of concentrated tea is placed.  Hot water is poured from a spigot on the urn and mixed with the concentrated tea from the pot.  Today's samovars are mostly electric, but the samovars of the 19th century, at the peak of the samovar's popularity and production , worked by burning coal or kerosene in a small firebox located in the lower portion of the samovar.

Origins of the Samovar        The Samovar in the 19th Century        Gallery

Sources used in making this site