Den Wolsack with the associated Hofkamer in the garden is a monumental building at Oude Beurs 27 in Antwerp . The street was renamed Wolstraat in the 14th century, and the term Den Wolsack also dates from that period when the wool industry flourished. The current mansion Den Wolsack largely dates from the 18th and 19th centuries and was built in (neo)classical style. At the back of the garden of den Wolsack is the Hofkamer, a prestigious state room from 1772 where important guests were received. The Hofkamer put the wealth of the owner in the spotlight. The showpiece of De Hofkamer is without a doubt the majestic ceiling painting ‘gods on Mount Olympus’ ( Flemish Masters in Situ ) , the largest ceiling painting on canvas in Western Europe. De Hofkamer was restored between 2013 and 2017 . The first floor of the Hofkamer was given a new purpose thanks to a work of art by Koen van den Broek. On the first floor of Den Wolsack is the book toilet, a luxurious toilet room with old books. Den Wolsack is the headquarters of Herita (the former Flemish Heritage Foundation). Since 2002, Den Wolsack has been protected as a monument . (via Wikipedia)

In 1772, wool merchant François Adrien Van den Bogaert commissioned a garden pavilion for Den Wolsack, his house in Antwerp. On the first floor is a bibliophile’s lavatory, in which the bowl is concealed in a fancifully rendered stack of books.

The volumes on the surrounding shelves aren’t real; they’re made of wood covered with leather.