The History of Cajsan Helmi, also known as Restaurant Kaisaniemi
The story of Cajsan Helmi naturally begins with Cajsa herself. Catharina “Cajsa” Wahllund was born in Sweden on May 1st, 1771. She arrived in Finland in the early 19th century, settling first in Turku, where she became the restaurateur of the Turku Seurahuone in 1812.
With a keen business sense, Cajsa realized around the 1820s that the newly appointed capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland, Helsinki, would offer a more stable livelihood for a restaurateur. As an administrative center, the city would naturally attract more people and migration.
Her first establishment in Helsinki was an inn at the corner of Aleksanterinkatu and Sofiankatu. She later opened a second restaurant called Emilienburg, fondly nicknamed “the Savings Bank,” located in Siltasaari—near what is today known as Säästöpankinranta. From across the bay, Cajsa set her sights on a quiet headland on the opposite shore of Kaisaniemi Bay.
Kaisaniemi Park—then known as the Public Park—became Finland’s first public park in the 1820s. Before the construction of the railway, the park was surrounded by bays, as the now-filled Kluuvi bay extended all the way to Kaivokatu.
At the tip of the park’s peninsula, Cajsa established a refreshment kiosk in 1827. The servers there were affectionately referred to as “water maidens,” as they served refreshments to the gentlemen and ladies strolling through the park.
The first part of Restaurant Kaisaniemi was built in 1839. This included what is now the Topelius Hall, symmetrically flanked by private dining rooms on both sides, a small veranda at the front, and a kitchen at the rear of the building.
Cajsa was only able to enjoy the fruits of her labor for four years. At her peak, she managed up to six restaurants in Helsinki, including Seurahuone (now Helsinki City Hall), Kaivohuone (from the first summer after the building’s completion in 1839), the Theatre Restaurant, the Savings Bank (Säästöpankki), and the Sunnin House, in addition to Kaisaniemi.
Upon Cajsa’s death, the operations of Restaurant Kaisaniemi were taken over by her foster daughter, Emilie Myhrman.
Cajsa earned a strong reputation, particularly among university students, whom she often hosted—and at times even served on credit. In gratitude for her generosity, the students began gathering on her birthday, May Day, to sing for her. This marked the beginning of a singing tradition in Kaisaniemi Park, which continues to this day, especially among Swedish-speaking students.
Restaurant Kaisaniemi was also one of the first establishments in Helsinki to welcome women without the need for male accompaniment—an early step toward more inclusive public spaces.
Photo: Helsinki City Museum, Nils Wasastjerna, May 1st, 1890
In the 1890s, Kaisaniemi underwent its first major expansion. During this period, the room now known as the Marski Cabinet was added, along with a symmetrical room on the opposite side of the building. The verandas at the east and west ends were also enclosed, creating semi-heated spaces.
Kaisaniemi became a favorite among the cultural elite. Notable regulars included Sakari Topelius, who celebrated his doctoral conferment in the hall now named after him—Topelius Hall. Other distinguished guests included C. G. E. Mannerheim, J. V. Snellman, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Jean Sibelius, and Eino Leino. For the last three, a traditional May Day celebration route would take them from Kämp to Kappeli and finally to Kaisaniemi.
Photo: Helsinki City Museum, photographer unknown, ca. 1900
The next major chapter in the building’s history began under restaurateur Lars Lindman, who, together with his wife, ran Kaisaniemi from 1924 to 1968. Under Lindman’s direction, the restaurant underwent a significant expansion in 1929 with the addition of the semi-circular Rotunda Hall, which gave the building its now-distinctive shape.
As the decades passed, Finnish restaurant culture evolved. While the 19th-century ideal favored large open verandas where guests could enjoy the fresh air in the shade, preferences gradually shifted toward more indoor-oriented dining. This change was likely influenced both by Finland’s climate and by the growing prosperity that made restaurant services accessible to a broader public.
Photo: W. W. Wilkman, Helsinki City Museum, February 23, 1936.
Prohibition also had a physical impact on the restaurant: a secret door was built in the Marski Cabinet leading to the kitchen. If an alcohol inspector or police officer arrived, the staff could discreetly escort distinguished guests out through the kitchen to avoid unwanted attention from the authorities.
When Prohibition ended in 1932, Kaisaniemi was among the first establishments to reapply for full serving rights.
The secret door is located at the spot marked by the red shoe in the photo—just to the right of the tiled stove.
Photo: (C) Tee- ja Kahvihuone Helmi Oy
After the Second World War, there was a growing need to further expand Kaisaniemi. In 1946, a covered open terrace was added in front of the semi-circular façade, with the roof constructed around an oak tree growing in front of the building.
When the building was expanded again in 1979, the open terrace became part of the interior space—and the lower trunk of the oak ended up entirely indoors.
Photo: Constantin Grunberg, 1963, Finna
Photo below: Merja Wesander, Helsinki City Museum, November 1, 2019
After Lars Lindman’s tenure ended in 1968, the restaurant building and its surrounding lot were transferred to the ownership of the City of Helsinki. From then on, restaurateurs operated as tenants of the city.
When the most recent tenant went bankrupt in January 2019, the city—following its strategic plan—placed the badly deteriorated building on its sales list. The property was officially put up for public sale at the end of 2020.
Photo: (C) Tee- ja Kahvihuone Helmi Oy
At this point, the story of Cajsa took a new turn with the arrival of Tee- ja Kahvihuone Helmi Oy, founded by restoration painting master Airi Kallio. The company is a family business, with Airi’s sons, Ville and Leo, also actively involved.
Initially, they booked a viewing purely out of professional curiosity. The first visit took place on December 1st, 2020—at a time when the building had no electricity and only minimal maintenance heating, making it cold and damp. Nevertheless, the history and potential of the house sparked something, and an offer to purchase the property was submitted in January 2021.
After careful consideration, the City of Helsinki selected Tee- ja Kahvihuone Helmi as the winner of the bidding process. In addition to the purchase price, the city placed significant value on the proposed concept for the building’s future.
A strong reference in the decision-making was Loviisan Kappeli, a restaurant restored by the Kallio family between 2008 and 2013, showcasing their experience and dedication to preserving historical buildings with care and vision.
The purchase agreement was signed on April 28th, 2021. The first phase of the restoration focused on documenting the building’s current state, as existing floor plans and structural drawings were fragmented and inconsistent. The most recent structural drawings for the Rotunda Hall, for instance, dated back to 1929.
During the documentation phase, in addition to the lead architect and structural engineer, students from the Helsinki Painting Vocational School participated in the project. As part of their internship, they documented the wallpaper layers in the Marski Cabinet and carefully steamed off sections of the early 20th-century parrot-patterned wallpaper for preservation.
The original idea was to restore the building’s 19th-century pavilion-like exterior. However, the Helsinki City Museum, which oversees historically protected buildings, did not approve this plan. Additionally, such a restoration would have significantly reduced the size of the interior spaces.
As a compromise, it was agreed that the 1970s extension would be demolished, and the building’s façade would be restored to match the 1929 design and alignment. This required first obtaining a special exemption from the zoning plan through the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre), as the heritage protection clause in the zoning regulations interpreted later additions as part of the protected structure.
Once the exemption was granted, the next step was to apply for the actual building permit. Finnish construction regulations do not differentiate between new construction and the restoration of historic buildings—meaning that the same standards apply across the board. In Kaisaniemi, this created particular challenges, especially in meeting modern ventilation air volume requirements. Installing supply and exhaust vents would have required cutting into historical structures and surfaces.
Through technical negotiations, a mutual understanding was reached that respected both regulatory demands and the preservation of the building’s historic fabric.
Photo: HKM Unknown 1900n
The building permit was granted in the summer of 2022, initiating the first phase of the project: demolition. This involved removing decades of paneling and surface additions to expose the original structures of the building.
At this stage, a harsh reality came to light: the building was in extremely poor structural condition. The columns surrounding the curved Rotunda Hall were virtually unsupported, and the load-bearing façade pillars lacked the capacity to support the structure. In effect, the building had been at risk of collapse. As a result, temporary supports had to be installed to brace the roof structures.
Further investigation revealed that the foundation wall of the 1929 façade extension had been removed during a previous renovation. On the railway side, parts of the original 1839 log frame had been carelessly sawed through to accommodate various technical installations, leaving sections of the structure literally hanging in midair.
Photos: Tee- ja Kahvihuone Helmi Oy (C)
Additionally, on the courtyard side where the kitchen extension from the 1980s was located, the concrete kitchen floor was supported by pillars that lacked proper waterproofing. As a result, water damage had severely compromised their load-bearing capacity, causing structural issues at the rear of the building as well.
In total, more than 200,000 kilograms—approximately 80 truckloads—of construction waste were removed from the site during the demolition and cleanup process.
Photos: Tee- ja Kahvihuone Helmi Oy (C)
After what felt like endless demolition work, the team began the upward journey—quite literally—from the foundation pit. The entire building’s façades had to be rebuilt from the ground up, starting with the base. During the restoration, approximately 30 cubic meters of concrete were poured into the structure.
Once the new foundations were completed, construction began on the floor and wall frameworks of the outer section of the Rotunda Hall. At the same time, all technical systems—including heating, electricity, plumbing, drainage, and ventilation—were rebuilt entirely from scratch.
Photos: Tee- ja Kahvihuone Helmi Oy (C)
The original budget was ultimately exceeded by a factor of two, as the true condition of the building’s structure only became clear after the extensive demolition work. Around the same time, the financial institution funding the project announced that it would not provide any additional financing to see the restoration through to completion.
Despite this major setback, and after exploring various alternatives, a solution was eventually found by other means—allowing the project to be completed successfully.
Photos: Tee- ja Kahvihuone Helmi Oy (C)
Final inspections for occupancy were completed in December 2023, even though the courtyard areas were still unfinished. This was largely due to the City of Helsinki’s simultaneous renovation of Kaisaniemi Park, which required extensive excavation of the street areas in front of the building.
The official reopening was scheduled for January 11, 2024, at 11:00 AM. Cajsan Helmi was once again brought to life—offering moments of indulgence in the heart of history, engaging all the senses.
In July 2024, the street work in front of the building was also completed, finalizing the exterior surroundings. However, a project like this is never truly finished—historic buildings require constant upkeep to prevent major renovations. Likewise, the interior continues to evolve over time, gradually adding new layers to its story.
The official reopening was scheduled for January 11, 2024, at 11:00 AM. Cajsan Helmi was once again brought to life—offering moments of indulgence in the heart of history, engaging all the senses.
In July 2024, the street work in front of the building was also completed, finalizing the exterior surroundings. However, a project like this is never truly finished—historic buildings require constant upkeep to prevent major renovations. Likewise, the interior continues to evolve over time, gradually adding new layers to its story.
