The Sederholm House is the oldest house in the centre of Helsinki in Finland. The house was constructed by merchant Johan Sederholm in 1757 and it is located at the Senate Square. Helsinki City Museum is located at the house. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
The Sederholm House is the oldest house in the centre of Helsinki in Finland. The house was constructed by merchant Johan Sederholm in 1757 and it is located at the Senate Square. Helsinki City Museum is located at the house. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
In 1720, the merchant Johan Julius Sund purchased the plot of land and erected a wooden house on the site. Following his death, ownership of the property passed to the estate, which sold it jointly to the merchant Nils Burtz and Johan Sederholm. When their business partnership came to an end, Sederholm bought the property outright. In 1756, construction of a stone building was initiated, with the design likely attributed to the German architect Samuel Berner. During the 18th century, the building served both commercial and residential purposes, with shops occupying the ground floor and living quarters situated on the upper floor.. [6]
A wealthy merchant, Johan Sederholm, sought to establish a residence that would symbolise his growing prosperity and social standing. On a plot of land he had previously acquired, he commissioned the construction of a two-story stone building intended to accommodate both his household and his commercial activities. Completed in 1757, the structure was architecturally significant, as it represented the first stone house built in Helsinki since the 1690s. Known as the Sederholm House, it was regarded as the most distinguished and prominent building in the city during its time. [1] [5] [7]
The Sederholm House was originally surrounded by wooden storage buildings and various outbuildings, which together formed a lively and functional courtyard at the heart of the property. Archival records indicate that nearly thirty servants were employed on the estate, underscoring both the scale of the household and the prominence of its owner within Helsinki society. In the 1770s, the house further expanded its role in the city’s daily life by accommodating the practice of the municipal physician, thereby serving not only as a residence and commercial hub, but also as a center of public health and professional activity. [1] [8]
The everyday life of the merchant’s household was marked not only by bustling commercial and domestic activity but also by moments of elevated social prestige. The Sederholm House received visits from several distinguished personages of the era, including Prince Heinrich of Prussia, King Gustav III of Sweden, and his son, King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden. Such illustrious guests underscored the prominence of Johan Sederholm within regional mercantile and social networks, as well as the growing cultural and political significance of Helsinki during the late 18th century. [1]
The building has served, among other things, as a distillery, a girls' school, a restaurant, and an antiquarian bookstore. Nowadays, the building houses the Helsinki City Museum. [7] [9]
According to legend, the house is haunted. The story goes that Sederholm has remained in the attic of his house to keep watch. Many say they have heard, seen, and felt strange things in the attic. For example, electrical devices often stop working, chairs spin on their own, and papers fly to the floor. At times, dragging footsteps, humming, and sighs can be heard. [10]