History

Bemböle Coffeehouse is well preserved, one of the oldest main buildings of a farm in Espoo. Today a household name as a Coffee House.

Bell is the last main estate on its original premises in Bemböle. The large main room and the chamber, which is today the kitchen, and entrance have apparently been built in 1737. The dining room  has been built later, possibly at the turn of the 19th century. Despite necessary alterations for kitchen facilities, the impressive, hand crafted wooden ceiling beams and the magnificent fireplace have been preserved.

Bell was one of the ten 17th century main estates in the large vilage of Bemböle. During the Great Northern War 1713-1721, “the Great Wrath”, the Russian army occupied many of the houses in Bemböle. After the war Bell was burnt to the ground. In 1760’s the newly built Bell’s house served as in Inn due to its’ perfect location where King’s Road branched to Helsinki.

When in 1916 this old building was facing demolition, it was luckily saved by a plan to turn it into a museum. Between 1917-1938 Bell was a farm hand’s cottage, a shoemaker’s workshop, a school etc. In 1939 the Coffee House was established. During the Winter War 1939-40 it served as delivery room for the Midwife Institute Kätilö-opisto. After the war the Coffee House continued and has since become a very popular Café-Restaurant called Bemböle Kahvitupa (Coffeehouse).