Sällskapet is an exclusive

gentlemen's club A gentlemen's club is a private social club of a type originally established by males from Britain's upper classes starting in the 17th century. Many countries outside Britain have prominent gentlemen's clubs, mostly those associated with the ...

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

, providing private member facilities to a constitutionally limited number of members, and their invited guests.

Creation

The success of private gentlemen's clubs in London during the eighteenth century led to a group of Swedish socialites seeking similar facilities in their capital. A total of 91 founders established Sällskapet, which opened on 1 December 1800. The founders established a rule book and constitution for their society, aiming to recreate the ethos and success of top London clubs such as

White's White's is a gentlemen's club in St James's, London. Founded in 1693 as a hot chocolate shop in Mayfair, it is London's oldest club and therefore the oldest private members' club in the world. It moved to its current premises on St James's St ...

Clubhouse

On 31 March 1870 Sällskapet relocated into a new purpose-built clubhouse in central Stockholm, on the opposite bank of the river from the Swedish Parliament and the Royal Palace. The Club remains at this location, No 7 Arsenalsgatan, to the present day. The architect was

Johan Fredrik Åbom Johan Fredrik Åbom (30 July 1817 - April 20, 1900) was a Sweden, Swedish architect. Biography Åbom was born in the parish of Katarina in Stockholm County, Sweden. He was a student at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm at t ...

, a leading proponent of his art in mid-nineteenth century Stockholm. Åbom had also designed the world-renowned Hotel Rydberg (where the Club then met), whose banqueting hall was considered one of the greatest architectural triumphs of nineteenth century Stockholm, and which gave its name to the now classical Swedish dish "Biff Rydberg". The members commissioned Åbom to construct a clubhouse including an exact replica of the Hotel Rydberg banqueting hall. As the hotel no longer exists, the main dining room at Sällskapet is the only place where Biff Rydberg may be eaten in its original setting.

Membership

Membership of Sällskapet is limited to 2,000, and there are more applications for membership than available places. The king of Sweden,

Carl XVI Gustaf Carl XVI Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus; born 30 April 1946) is King of Sweden. Having reigned since 1973, he is the longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history. Carl Gustaf was born during the reign of his paternal great-grandfather, K ...

, is a club member and patron of the club whilst

Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Duke of Värmland (Carl Philip Edmund Bertil; born 13 May 1979) is the only son and the second of three children of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. , Prince Carl Philip is fourth in the line of successi ...

is an honorary member. The club's membership is male only, although members may bring female guests into the clubhouse daily after 3 pm. Children aged 12 or above may visit the Club accompanied by their parents, boys all day, and girls after 3 pm.

Facilities

The main clubhouse has attractive lounges, games rooms, and a billiards room, as well as coffee rooms, dining rooms, and facilities for private study and work. The library houses a collection of over 15,000 books, and is one of the largest private collections in Sweden. Members enjoy reciprocal facilities at a number of similar clubs in other countries.One example of reciprocity, from London'
Lansdowne Club
There is a smoking room, but smoking is not otherwise permitted inside the clubhouse.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sallskapet (club) 1800 establishments in Sweden Gentlemen's clubs in Sweden Organizations based in Stockholm 19th-century establishments in Stockholm