Felix Meritis
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/FelixM.jpg/300px-FelixM.jpg)
Felix Meritis ("Happy through Merit") is the name of an intellectual society in Amsterdam, but subsequently used for the building they built for themselves [1] on the Keizersgracht.
History
![Felix Meritis.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Felix_meritis.jpg/300px-Felix_meritis.jpg)
It was built according to a winning design by the architect
On 31 October 1788 the building of the same name opened its doors. The society focused on the promotion of arts and sciences in a broader sense than the artists collectives popular at the time. Husly was himself a board member of the Amsterdam city drawing academy
Felix Meritis’ oval concert hall was the main music hall in Amsterdam until late into the 19th century and enjoyed a great international reputation. Many famous musicians performed there, including
Twentieth century
![Felix Meritis.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Felix_Meritis.jpg/220px-Felix_Meritis.jpg)
When the old Felix Meritis society was dissolved in 1888, the printing company Holdert & Co., which became one of Amsterdam's largest printing companies, moved into the building. In 1932 part of the building was destroyed in a fire. After the
Centre for art, culture and science
In 1988, one hundred years after the old society was dissolved, The Felix Meritis foundation was re-established in the building as a European center for art, culture and science. Felix Meritis is an independent international meeting place and serves as director of the European public debate, cultural processes and international projects and exchanges. Felix Meritis presents itself as a knowledge institution and platform for European cultural dialogue and cultural-political issues. The motto of Felix Meritis is Connecting Cultures. In collaboration with partners from home and abroad Felix Meritis initiates projects such as A Soul for Europe, Amsterdam Forum, The People Network, Gulliver Connect, Amsterdam Summer University, Dare2Connect, The European House for Culture (Brussels), Night of Philosophy, Cafe Europa, The Globalization Lecture Foundation and Kuhnya.
Felix in de Steigers
In November 2014, the management company Amerborgh, owned by Alex Mulder, purchased Felix Meritis from the city of Amsterdam. Amerborgh started renovating the building in 2017. Between 2015 and 2016 the building housed the temporary project “Felix in de Steigers,” providing space for art, theater and several experimental cultural programs while construction was under way.
Canon of Amsterdam
- Felix Meritis is window number 23 in the Canon of Amsterdam.
References
- ^ Felix Meritis, Radio Netherlands Archives
- ^ Physics in the Felix Meritis building was only for men[permanent dead link] in the Amsterdam Archives
- ^ city hall history in the Groningen archives
- Felix Meritis is "window number 23" of the Canon van Amsterdam, by Piet de Rooy & Emma Los, Uitgeverij Boom, Amsterdam, 2008, ISBN 9789085066835
Literature
- Loes Gompes & Merel Ligtelijn, Mirror of Amsterdam - History of Felix Meritis, 2007, Rozenberg Publishers