Florapark

A city park on the east side of Enschede.

Hidden behind shrubs and surrounded by tall trees, a small white building stands atop a hill in the Florapark. But this is no ordinary building. Towards the end of the 19th century, the manufacturers' society "De Aapclub" gathered here every Sunday evening.

About 75 years ago, this part of Enschede was sparsely built. Small farms were scattered around, as the large residential complexes of Laares and Ribbelt had not yet been constructed.

Originally, a tall hedge of thorny shrubs surrounded the building, and at the time, a garden lay around it. In the 1950s, the municipality incorporated this garden into Florapark, turning it into a beautiful unified space.

In 1980, two students from the AKI art academy squatted in the building and made it their home. They repaired broken windows and attempted to restore the fireplace, the showpiece of the Apenhof. The municipality later designated the Apenhof as a studio space, and today, an artist is based there.

Dogs must be kept on a leash in the park.