Plans Gothic House
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The Gothic House is transforming into a cultural hotspot with space for catering! In 2025, Monumentenbezit will start the restoration of the Gothic House in Kampen. The historic building will be transformed, together with local partners, into a vibrant cultural meeting place. Here, visitors will soon be able to enjoy a permanent exhibition and various cultural activities. There will also be space for catering.
This fall, Monumentenbezit will start further preparations to be able to start the restoration next year. Mark van den Bos, director-manager of Monumentenbezit, talks about the plans. “When we became the owner in 2016, we started with a plan for a boutique hotel, following a repurposing study. But we decided to move to a more public-oriented and substantive program with which we can permanently open the building to visitors. During work in 2011, the supporting structure turned out to be severely damaged, making a temporary auxiliary structure necessary. After the large-scale restoration, we want to let the Gothic House tell its own story with the major addition of an ' experience' about Hendrick Avercamp.”
The latter is in the opinion of Kampen resident Jan Liefting: “It is actually crazy that almost nothing can be found about this world-famous painter – who grew up here in Kampen – while his paintings are the showpieces at the Rijksmuseum and other major international museums.”
History of the building and restoration
The monumental house was built around 1500 by a wealthy merchant. The Gothic House served as a merchant's residence until the end of the 17th century. Then it was given a new purpose as a grocer's; where it was possible to buy grains and flour. During this expansion, horse stables and a horse mill were added. In the upcoming restoration phase, the historical components will be restored and additional stability measures will be installed. In addition, the building will be made more sustainable, including underfloor heating and new installations.
From 1904 to 1984 the house served as a library and then as a museum, which led to changes to the layout of the building. We are going to reverse some of the changes, such as bringing back a passage to the adjacent building and restaurant Holland.
With this historical connection, restaurant Holland will soon be responsible for the catering in the Gothic House. Pablo Schaap was involved in the plans as a business manager from an early stage and is full of ideas. “That goes beyond the flour from the horse mill that you will of course find in our pancakes. It will be a beautiful place to stay, admire and enjoy,” says Pablo.
Heritage Experience and City Programme
From 2026, part of the Gothic House Kampen will be set up as an experience. Visitors will imagine themselves in the Hanseatic city of Kampen. An important focus will be the painter Hendrick Avercamp, famous for his winter landscapes. The new interpretation ties in well with local history. We are investigating which objects can play a role in the presentation to strengthen the story, in collaboration with other art institutions such as the Stedelijk Museum Kampen and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands.
The former stable building on Buiten Nieuwstraat will become a meeting place for residents and culture lovers after the restoration by means of a City Program. Through this City Program, the building will become a nice place for local initiatives, cultural expressions and stories. The city programmer works together with various parties, in an open program that revolves around meeting, inspiration and co-creation.
Planning and realization
Mark: “We are currently preparing the restoration work. After a much-needed restoration, we will give the Gothic House a new future, while preserving and bringing to life the rich history of Kampen. Thanks to a substantial contribution from Stichting CAS, we can get started. Of course, we are not there yet. It is an ambitious plan. But this special heritage deserves it. The Gothic House will be a magnet in Kampen that connects the past, present and future!” The work will be completed in 2026 and the Gothic House will be opened to the public.
The plans were partly developed through discussions with various stakeholders, including the municipality of Kampen, the Province of Overijssel, local residents, entrepreneurs, the Stedelijk Museum Kampen, fellow institutions and the Monumentenbezit foundation.