| Order of Cultural Merit | |
|---|---|
 Commander's insignia | |
Awarded by Prince of Monaco | |
| Type | Order of merit |
| Royal house | House of Grimaldi |
| Eligibility | Citizens of Monaco and foreigners |
| Awarded for | distinction in the arts, letters and science through their work or teaching in Monaco. Contributions in those areas and extended the intellectual influence of the Principality, even outside of Monaco. |
| Status | Currently constituted |
| Sovereign | His Serene HighnessAlbert II, Prince of Monaco |
| Chancellor | Raoul Biancheri, Plenipotentiary Minister |
| Grades | Commander, Officer, Knight |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Order of Grimaldi |
| Next (lower) | Medal of Honour |
 Commander  Officer  Knight | |
TheOrder of Cultural Merit (French:Ordre du Mérite culturel;Monégasque:U̍rdine d’u Me̍ritu Cürtürale) is the fourth highestOrder of thePrincipality of Monaco.[1] The order was established byRainier III, Prince of Monaco on 31 December 1952 by Sovereign Order 689.[2] It is awarded to recognize those who have made a distinctive contribution to the arts, letters or science through their work or teaching in Monaco. It may also be awarded to recognize individuals in those areas who have extended the intellectual influence of thePrincipality, even from outside Monaco.[1]
The order is presented in three different grades: Commander, Officer, and Knight. Each grade's insignia share certain characteristics. The badge of the Order consists of a round medallion, framed by a laurel wreath and suspended by theHeraldic Crown of Monaco. The obverse of the medallion contains themonogram of Prince Rainier III, formed by two mirrored "R"s, surrounded by the inscription "Principauté de Monaco 1952". The reverse depicts an arrangement of objects symbolizing the arts and sciences, a lyre, books, compass, etc. On the upper right is the inscription "Arts Lettres Sciences". The medallions are suspended from a ribbon of red with a line of whitelozenges in the center. This design is likely inspired by theMonegasque flag variant which is described in the language ofheraldry as "lozengy argent and gules". The commander's badge is gold and is worn suspended from the neck. The officers badge, made of silver, is worn on a ribbon with arosette suspended from the left chest. The knight's badge, made of bronze, is worn suspended by a plain ribbon from the left chest.
