Beurs van Berlage

The civil marriage of the Prince of Orange and Ms Zorreguieta was solemnised in the Beurs van Berlage building on Damrak in Amsterdam. The Beurs van Berlage, formerly the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, was commissioned by the municipality of Amsterdam and was opened on 27 May 1903 by Queen Wilhelmina in the presence of Queen-Mother Emma and Prince Hendrik.

The building was named after its architect, Hendrik Petrus Berlage. The architect wanted the building to perform the function of a palazzo pubblico, a palace for everyone where, in his own words, the community and art come together. It is a composite work of art, in which engineers, visual artists, designers, a poet and an architect worked together combining their various arts to create a unified whole. The decoration of The Beurs van Berlage draws attention to the construction of the building and forms an integral element of the overall design.

The ceremony of the civil marriage took place in the grand Commodity Exchange. In this room the mighty consoles of granite and sandstone, the curved line of which is continued in the cast-iron trusses, provide an enormous sense of space. The numerous apertures in the brick walls, the glass roof and the many shades of brown, yellow and red also give the hall a sense of warmth.

Nowadays exhibitions on architecture, design and art are held in the southern part of the Beurs van Berlage. Over 500 events a year are held in the remaining rooms and halls.

For more information see : http://en.beurs-van-berlage.nl/