In’t Aepjen, Amsterdam

In ’t Aepjen is one of Amsterdam’s oldest cafés, with a history that stretches back to 1519. It occupies one of the city’s last surviving wooden houses, dating from the 15th century, a rare reminder of the Amsterdam that existed before the great fire of 1452. Located close to the old harbor and the red-light district, the building originally functioned as an inn where sailors could drink, eat, and sleep between voyages. Its position made it a natural gathering place for seamen arriving from distant ports.

The café’s name, which translates as “In the Monkeys,” reflects one of the city’s more unusual trading traditions. During the Dutch Golden Age, sailors returning from overseas colonies sometimes found themselves short of money and paid their bar tabs with exotic animals, particularly monkeys. The number of monkeys became so large that they were eventually moved to the garden of a regular customer, Gerard Westerman, whose animal collection later evolved into Artis Zoo.

In ’t Aepjen also played a role in the recruitment practices of the Dutch East India Company. After long nights of drinking, sailors were known to wake upstairs and discover they had signed contracts committing them to long and dangerous journeys east. Today, the café serves an extensive range of Dutch jenevers and beers, surrounded by monkey-themed decorations that echo centuries of maritime history.