Thursday, 23 October, 19.00
Welcome Dinner hosted by the Mayor of Rotterdam in the Laurenskerk
The Grote Kerk or St Laurenskerk, which the locals call the Laurenskerk or Laurens, is traditionally the main church of Rotterdam. Built between around 1449 and 1525, the Laurenskerk is the only remaining late gothic building from Rotterdam’s medieval past. For many people the Laurenskerk is a symbol of the history of Rotterdam. In the Middle Ages citizenship could be bought by contributing 3000 stones to the building of the tower. The images of the devastated church in the Second World War and its subsequent reconstruction became emblematic of the fortunes of the city and its inhabitants. Even now the Laurenskerk is an imposing presence in the midst of all the architectural modernity in today’s ‘Manhattan on the Maas’.
Next to the church is a more than life size statue of Erasmus, which some believe is one of the most beautiful statues in Europe. Hendrick de Keyser designed the bronze statue of Erasmus probably from portraits and drawings that were made during the philosopher’s lifetime, among them one by Hans Holbein the Younger. These portraits often depict Erasmus in a cloak with a deep fur trim on the sleeves and collar and wearing his characteristic bonnet. He is frequently shown deep in serious thought reading or with his hand on a weighty book. All these elements are to be found in the Rotterdam statue of the humanist.
The bronze statue is larger than life and, moreover, mounted far above the viewer on a plinth more than two metres in height. The slight curve of his cloak suggests that Erasmus is stepping forward as he reads. His left hand supports the large book he is reading, while his right hand turns the page.
Friday, 24 October, 19.30-22.00
Gala dinner in the Hulstkamp building
The Hulstkamp building is situated on an island in the river Maas in Rotterdam. It is a richly decorated neo-renaissance building that is one of the most prominent landmarks on the north of Noordereiland.
Built in 1888 by the architect J.P. Stok for the company of Laming & Sons it served as an office, home and warehouse for cheese and margarine products.
When the firm went bankrupt, Hulstkamp & Zoon & Molijn bought the premises in 1919 and founded a distillery for genever or Dutch gin. On 10 May 1940 it was one of the first buildings in Rotterdam to be commandeered by the German occupiers.
In 1979 the building was empty. After thorough renovation of the office part and demolition of the distillery at the back the building was converted into an office complex, party and conference centre. The Mariniers museum was housed here from 1980 to 1995.