The building was originally built in 1857 with two storeys, consisting of accommodation and a drawing room, which was later changed to become a theatre. The building took its current form in 1891, when a third storey was added, as had been originally planned by the architect, C. J. von Heideken. Hotel Otava is considered to be the birthplace of the Finnish-language theatre as the
Finnish National Theatre gave its first performance at the hotel's auditorium on 13 October 1872. During the
World War II, the hotel hosted the staff of the German troops, which had an airbase at the
Pori Airport. After the war, the hotel accommodated the
Russian Allied Commission staff officers. In 1882, the theatre was converted into become a concert hall and a dance hall.
Present day usage The city of Pori bought the property in 1997. In 2000, a six-year long renovation took place at a cost of three million euros, and the building was rebuilt to its original size. The building is now used as an office building for the city administration. == References ==