History

1628
with a ducal permit worth 651 Gilders in his pocket, Wilhelm Hütten built an inn and brewery outside the town walls near the harbour which he called “Zum Schiffchen” where he was allowed to sell beer, wine and food at “reasonable prices”.

1794
the inn was gutted during a bombardment of Düsseldorf. When rebuilt soon after, it became the favourite pub of Heinrich Heine, the poet, where he rubbed shoulders not only with the hoi-polloi but also with some colourful locals such as “Professor Liver-Sausage” and “Maurice the Squint”.

1811
Napoleon and his general staff quaffed beer in a corner after a victory parade; ever since, it has been known as “Napoleon’s Corner”.

1893
the “Schiffchen” had become so popular that it had to be extended, swallowing up the premises next door, and the former simple rural inn turned into a fashionable restaurant by the turn of the century.

1928
on the occasion of its three hundredth anniversary, the “Schiffchen” needed another expansion, this time towards the neighbouring beer garden which was transformed into extra taprooms.

1944
partial destruction by aerial bombs. Rebuilt to historical specifications after hostilities. Nowadays, guests crowd into the “Jan-Wellem Stube”, the “Napoleon Corner”, the “Dämmerstube”, the “Schifferstube”, the “Karlstadt Room” and the “Mutter-Hof-Stube”. The “Small Boat” can actually accommodate 420 at full capacity, and the beer garden offers another 140 seats.