Café De Bonte Koe

Café De Bonte Koe houses a number of beautiful tile panels depicting rural scenes, probably dating from the first decade of the 20th century. The signature shows that the tiles were manufactured by tile manufacturer ‘Holland’ (Utrecht, 1893-1918). According to tradition, they were installed by a butcher who wanted to establish his butcher shop here. He is said to have spent so much money on the interior that he went bankrupt.

The building's history can be traced back to 19th-century maps. In 1830, it was still two separate buildings. The building on the right was owned by iron merchant Kling. Over the next 60 years, both buildings were merged with the adjacent buildings on Hooigracht. In 1830, these were owned by two innkeepers. The current residential and commercial building was constructed around 1890. A photograph from the late 19th century shows that a furniture maker or dealer was located there at the time. The aforementioned butcher probably came later. His tile panels now adorn the café and will soon be restored.