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Wolves House older than ARTIS

The Wolves House, originally an inn called Eik en Linden, became part of ARTIS in 1863 and has served various functions over the years.

''In the Plantage there is a pub
Between the green trees;
There they drink late, there they drink early
There they never drink nearly enough gin
My love says, I am not allowed to go there…''

Eik en Linden

The above text is a Dutch poem from the nineteenth century about a special location in ARTIS. Before ARTIS bought the building and the land in 1863, it was an inn called Eik en Linden. The inn was known as a place where not very nice things happened, which is not surprising considering the harbor activity on the nearby Entrepotdok. 

The building

The building was probably built between 1800 and 1830 in the so-called chalet style. On the north side of the building was a long ballroom of about 70 metres, used for parties. In 1863, the year ARTIS bought the plot of land, a dinner was held there for the 25th anniversary of Natura Artis Magistra. The ballroom was demolished around 1875.

Van toen tot nu

built in
1800-1830 (exact year of construction unknown)
designed by
onbekend
then
inn, carrier pigeon station, laboratory, wolvenhuis
now
enclosure of raccoons, skunks

From inn to Wolves House

The inn was converted into part of the zoo and named Wolvenhuis (Wolves' House). Around the building came beds where different animals stayed, including wolves, hyenas, cheetahs, African wild dogs, maned wolves and forest hogs. In 1999, the wolves moved to another part of ARTIS, giving the African wild dogs more space. The enclosure where raccoons and a skunk now live was originally for Malayan bears (until 1980) and sloth bears. From 1914 to 1937, the upper floor was home to an aye-aye, a nocturnal lemur that was not visible to the public.

Andere functies

The upper floor was temporarily used in 1894 by the Ministry of War, which established a National Pigeon Station there. After World War I, an animal psychology office was established there, with Dr J.A. Bierens de Haan (1883-1958) as its pioneer. During World War II, it served as a shelter for Duifje van den Brink (1882-1962) and in the 1970s, the offices were used as a quarantine for animals.

The Eik and Linden building is one of the unique places that makes ARTIS special. The inn's name still lives on in café Eik and Linde on Plantage Middenlaan!