Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse

Tea from Boulder's Sister City

Description

This handcrafted Persian Teahouse was given to the City of Boulder by its sister city, Dushanbe, Tajikistan. In 1987, the mayor of Dushanbe, the capital city of the former Soviet Republic of Tajikistan, announced a plan to present Boulder with a teahouse to celebrate the establishment of sister city ties. From 1987 to 1990, more than 40 artisans in several cities of Tajikistan created the decorative elements of the Teahouse, including its hand-carved and hand-painted ceiling, tables, stools, columns, and exterior ceramic panels. In Central Asia, teahouses serve as community gathering places where friends meet to socialize over a cup of tea. The Dushanbe Teahouse accurately reflects the artistic tradition of Persian decoration characterized by the use of motifs from nature: stellar, solar, and floral, by the repetition of patterns, and by lavish decorations that date back nearly 2,000 years. Today, the privately owned and operated restaurant at the Teahouse serves a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu featuring dishes from cultures spanning the globe. A dining experience at the Teahouse is an adventurous exploration into the multi-faceted world of ethnic cuisine. The world class, extensive tea collection offers an opportunity to sample high quality loose leaf teas with a choice of over 100 varieties.