Our history of coffeehouses begins in the 1500’s, specifically in Turkey and the city of Constantinople. According to Ibrahim-I Pechevi, a Turkish historian, the first coffeehouses appeared around 1554. Pechevi credits two men, Schems and Hekim, with the original coffeehouses. Built in Constantinople, these original coffeehouses featured carpets, couches and elaborate light fixtures in their interiors, encouraging patrons to relax inside and enjoy their company (1).
As coffeehouses were gaining in popularity even within Turkey throughout the next several decades, a culture was developing within them that allowed the leaders and higher ranking citizens to socialize with the lower class citizens in a manner never before seen, allowing for the presentation and discussion of new ideas and other topics (2).
Source 1: Ellis, Markman.The Coffee House: A Cultural History, Chapter 2: The Wine of Islam Discovered, London: Weidenfield & Nicolson, 2004
Source 2: Ellis, Markman. The Coffee House: A Cultural History, Chapter 1: First Encounters, London: Weidenfield & Nicolson, 2004
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