Today, a tavern is a low-grade establishment that has outlived its own. At least that's what a good half of humanity thinks. But it was not always so. In the old days, the tavern was the best place to unwind from everyday boredom, and "roll" a mug of fusel. Not to mention, these establishments were home to weary wanderers.
What has changed in such a short period? Why is the tavern today just a relic of the times? And what were the taverns of yesteryear in general?
What is an inn?
It is hard to say exactly when the first inns appeared, ready not only to shelter travelers, but also to feed them. However, it is known for sure that in ancient times they were already actively built throughout Greece and Rome.
As for their purpose, the tavern is, first of all, a tavern designed for ordinary residents and visiting guests. It should be noted that the quality of food in such places was very doubtful, but its cost allowed guests to ignore this fact.
Over the years, the inn began to transform from a regular dining room into a hotel with a wide range of services. So, here it was possible not only to book a room for the night, but also to find out all the necessary information about the city or its environs.
Taverns in Russia
As for our country, the first taverns in Moscow appeared in the middle of the 16th century. And Ivan the Terrible himself established their construction, considering that the people really needed such an institution. But the first establishments were quite expensive, and therefore only we althy people were their guests. As for the very word "tavern", among the Russian people it spread only in the 17th century.
Declining popularity of taverns
Today's inn is just a small shadow of what it used to be. And the blame for everything is restaurants, which at the beginning of the 19th century almost completely replaced cheap canteens. And there is nothing surprising here, because the quality of food has become a decisive factor in this fight.
That is why today there are restaurants in all cities, but taverns are already a rarity. Although in the Russian capital in the last decade, the fashion for these public places has revived. The network of taverns "Fir-Palki" is widely known, the tavern with oriental flavor - "The Tale of the East 1001 Nights" is gaining popularity. But they are trying to keep the Russian spirit in the taverns "Borscht &Salo". In a word, traditions live on.
