Toppila Villa: A Historical Hub for Finnish Brewing

The oldest building in the entirety of the Toppila Brewery area, the Toppila Villa has a storied past dating back to the mid-19th century. It holds the distinction of being the oldest villa structure in the Toppilansalmi and Hietasaari areas.

Ship-owner Henrik Tornberg built this oldest villa in Toppila in 1856. However, after Tornberg declared bankruptcy, J. W. Snellman's trading house purchased the property in 1868. A few years prior in 1862, a beer brewery had been established on the vast grounds of the villa.

Johan Georg Snellman undertook considerable renovation of the villa, redecorating and recladding the exterior in a neo-renaissance style. In 1881, he also added a hexagonal roof tower to the building.

In 1885, the villa and the brewery transferred from the Snellman family to the Åströms, a family known for their leather manufacturing business. During the Åström era, a large open veranda and a balcony above it were added to the villa, based on building master W. Linderoos' designs. The veranda was later glazed in the 1960s. The villa remained in the possession of the Åström family and their descendants for nearly a century until the late 1960s.

The Toppila Brewery transformed into the Toppila Malt Beverage Factory Ab in 1919. Until the late 1960s, the villa served as the home for the brewery master and the manager. In 1967, the Lahti-based Oy Malt Beverage Ab purchased the Toppila Malt Beverage Factory. Malt Beverage ceased brewing beer in Toppila in 1979.

Today, the Toppila Villa houses the Cafe Hostel Huvila. The accompanying photos were taken on September 11, 2025. This iconic building, with its rich history intertwined with Finnish brewing heritage, continues to be a beacon of the past even as it embraces new roles in the present.

(Foto Oulu Market Hall /Photo*Juha Räty, JR-Studio Oulu)

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