The history of coffee shops

Revolutions, espionage, art. All this was an integral part of the complicated and very interesting history of coffee.

⠀ How did the first coffee shops appear and why did they become a real center of culture and politics? Read on.

• Beginning
  

The first known coffee house appeared in Damascus in the 15th century. Soon, such institutions spread throughout the Ottoman Empire, and in the 16th century they reached its capital, Constantinople (modern Istanbul). At that time, life was bustling in coffee shops: the political situation was discussed, opinions and news were exchanged, and theatrical performances took place in coffee shops, speakers told stories, etc. Rumor has it that the powerful even sent spies to coffee shops to gather information about the opinions of the people.

• The first coffee shops in Europe
  

It is interesting that one of the first coffee shops in Europe was opened by our compatriot Yurii-Franz Kulchytskyi. When the Turkish army attacked Vienna in 1683, he heroically penetrated behind enemy lines and helped liberate the city. And as a reward, he took bags of unknown grain (coffee), which the Turks had left behind.

A shrewd entrepreneur opened a coffee shop in Vienna, but at first the citizens did not like the drink very much. To make the taste more pleasant, Yurii began to add milk, sugar, and sometimes honey to coffee. This is how the famous "Viennese coffee" appeared.

• Around this time, coffee shops became wildly popular in Britain, France, the United States, and other countries. They often became a place where thinkers, politicians, and activists gathered. For example, the residents of Oxford called coffee shops "penny universities" or "universities for a penny", because after paying for a cup of coffee, you could listen to the debates of great philosophers and figures. In Paris, revolutionaries often gathered in coffee shops.
  

Coffee has always been more than just a drink, and remains so to this day. On the other hand, quality coffee is now also available at home, because the machine can be purchased or rented from us for free.