“Gnomes tossing a ball back and forth?” someone exclaimed. That is the quirky tale behind the Huis met de Kabouters. We are standing before it now. The Huis met de Kabouters translates to “House with the Gnomes”. It is a 19th-century building in Amsterdam. Its facade showcases two gnome figures and gives the house its name.
Completed in 1884, A.C. Boerma designed this architectural gem. It stands proudly at Ceintuurbaan 251-255 in the De Pijp district. The Huis met de Kabouters is near the Nieuwe Amstelbrug bridge. This bridge spans the Amstel River. The building gained rijksmonument status in 1984.
The Huis met de Kabouters is not just one house. It combines three separate houses. Together, they measure 27 metres wide. They are 13 metres deep and 17 metres high. Inside, you’ll find 12 apartments. Seven are rented. Residents own the other five.
Boerma blended architectural styles to create this ornate building. Gothic Revival elements are visible. Look for lancet windows and gargoyles. Renaissance Revival features include kruiskozijn windows. These windows are divided into four sections by beams. Swiss chalet style adds abundant wood carving.
The facade uses brick and sandstone. Three wooden bay windows jut out. Look closely at the ornaments. Gnomes, putti, and eagles decorate the facade. The gnomes are along the roof’s edge. Each gnome measures two and a half meters. They seem to toss a ball.
Local legend speaks of the gnomes. The ball supposedly switches hands. Some say it happens at midnight daily. Others claim it’s only on New Year’s Eve. Or perhaps on February 29 during leap years.
What do these gnomes symbolize? Nobody knows for sure. One theory suggests they represent contractors. These contractors supposedly worked together on the building. Another idea links them to the building’s commissioner. His last name was Van Ballegooijen. “Ballegooijen” means “ball toss”.
The Huis met de Kabouters blends architectural styles. It sparks the imagination with its gnome figures. It reminds us that stories hide in plain sight. They wait to be discovered in Amsterdam’s streets.