Wrede passage

The building entity represents Renaissance Revival architecture and was designed and partly commissioned by architect Karl August Wrede, and built in 1888 and 1892.

The architect K. A. Wrede and the master builder J. H. Helenius bought the corner lot on Esplanadi with loaned money from Nordenstam's heirs and the house was built in a year and a half from 1887 to 1888.

[1]: 73  He designed the so-called "Central house" as a continuation of the passage in 1889, which was commissioned by merchant official Julius Tallberg from 1890 to 1892.

He might have been inspired by the merchant alleys in Brussels, Belgium that he adored, such as the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert built in 1847.

The style of the buildings represents renaissance revival architecture resembling Italian palaces, with baroque and rococo influences.

[1]: 63, 67, 75–80  The stairway of the Central house hosts magnificent wall and ceiling paintings by Salomo Wuorio, which were renovated in the 1980s.

The southern end of the Wrede passage at the Wrede house (Pohjoisesplanadi 35).
The Old merchant alley, known as the "Grandma tunnel".
The Wrede house in the early 20th century.