Very popular from the outset, World's Fairs were veritable showcases for revealing the technical, scientific, industrial and cultural progress of the countries hosting them to the world. Paris was, of course, one of the leading cities to participate in these six-month events, which welcomed thousands of exhibitors and visitors. This is how monuments that were supposed to be temporary structures ended up becoming essential features of the Parisian landscape! Take a trip through time with the Ferris wheel, the Trocadéro rhinoceros and the metal structures of the Belle Époque.
© OTCP
The first Paris World Fair was held on the Champs-Élysées from 15 May to 31 October 1855 and showcased industrial products. Commissioned by Napoleon III, its aim was to showcase the progress made by the 36 countries represented, but also to compete with Victorian England. The Palais de l'Industrie, a true architectural marvel, was built for the occasion on the site of what is now the Petit Palais and remained standing for almost half a century before being replaced for another World's Fair.
The 1867 edition marked the height of the Second Empire: held on the Champ-de-Mars between April and November 1867, it brought together 41 countries. Paris completed its Haussmannian transformation and welcomed visitors as a new city at the cutting edge of modernity. Essentially housed in a main building, a huge oval with a garden in the centre and several galleries grouped by theme and country, the Egypt Pavilion and its avenue of sphinxes caused a sensation. That year, a new means of transport was trialled to ease traffic congestion, and it was to remain in use for many years to come: the bateaux-mouches!
In 1878, the Exhibition was held under the banner of national reconciliation and attracted 16 million visitors. The former Palais du Trocadéro was built and six allegories of the different continents lined the terrace overlooking the garden, which was destroyed in 1935. The animal bronzes, including the famous rhinoceros, can now be found in front of the Musée d'Orsay. In terms of inventions, Benjamin Peugeot's sewing machine and Émile Reynaud's praxinoscope were honoured.
© Julien Doclot via Unsplash
The 1889 World's Fair could only be synonymous with the centenary of the French Revolution, which is why it was boycotted by several European monarchies, including Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Spain and many others. However, this did not prevent the event from attracting 32.3 million visitors spread over 50 hectares.
The major symbol is the now iconic Eiffel Tower, designed by Gustave Eiffel from Dijon. Innovative, the tallest tower in the world at the time and a true revolution in Parisian architecture, with the names of 72 scientists inscribed on its first floor, it celebrates French technical and scientific advances since the Revolution. In just six months, the three-storey tower welcomed nearly two million visitors, all eager to discover this new iron architecture and the view from its different levels. Initially scheduled to be demolished shortly after the end of the exhibition, while the newly built Palais du Trocadéro was supposed to remain standing, it is ultimately the Iron Lady that, two centuries later, has become one of the most powerful symbols of the French capital.
But the flagship building of the 1889 World's Fair was the Galerie des Machines. With a length of 420 metres and boasting the largest vaulted ceiling in the world, it is a true architectural feat. Its titanic size, which could accommodate 15,000 horses and their riders if desired, and its floor space comparable to that of the Parc Monceau, amazed the crowds and was a true demonstration of architectural advances with new materials.
Another curiosity of the exhibition is the temporary reconstruction of Rue Saint Antoine and the Bastille, a symbol of the French Revolution that was destroyed a century earlier. Along the Champ de Mars, its inner courtyard, part of the Seine and the esplanade of the Invalides were decorated in royal blue with fleur-de-lis motifs.
During the 1889 exhibition, the bra was presented for the first time, along with numerous steam engines. Electricity, particularly highlighted by Coutan's colourful illuminated fountain, also caused a sensation.
© Bertrand Marc
The 1900 World's Fair was the largest ever held in France and marked the turn of the century: night-time electricity and illuminated fountains amazed visitors. It was also the first to be captured on film, thanks to the Lumière brothers' screenings on a giant screen and the presentation of the Cinéorama. Progress was advancing at breakneck speed, and some 50 million curious visitors and 83,000 exhibitors were able to ride the very first underground railway line! The Vincennes/Maillot line was inaugurated, and new stations made it easier to reach the gates of Paris, including Orsay, now a museum, and Les Invalides, while the Gare de Lyon was given a facelift.
The Petit Palais and Grand Palais were built on the site of the Palais de l'Industrie, the last remnant of the 1855 exhibition. The Pavillon des Arts Décoratifs was also erected, and a Ferris wheel with a diameter of 100 metres now stands on Avenue Suffren. A symbol of large gatherings, it was dismantled in 1937.
The Palais de l'Electricité, which looked like something out of the Arabian Nights with its glass, metal and precious stone details, impressed the crowds, while a moving pavement around the site was one of the major attractions of this universal event. Finally, the international physical exercise and sports competitions naturally became the 1900 Olympic Games, which were held in Paris for the second time. At the beginning of the century, the French capital was undoubtedly at the forefront of the international scene on many levels.
The 1925 exhibition was international rather than universal, but it followed the same principles. Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts were in the spotlight, giving rise to the term ‘Art Deco’. From April to October 1925, architecture and applied arts were showcased on the Esplanade des Invalides and around the Grand and Petit Palais with displays of furniture and accessories. The architect Le Corbusier designed the Pavillon de l'Esprit Nouveau and its facilities.
The last World's Fair held in France took place in 1937, with the theme of arts and techniques in modern life. It was organised by the Popular Front, which, against a backdrop of economic crisis and international political tensions, wanted a large-scale event to promote peace. However, social unrest led to delays and incidents during the construction work, and the exhibition opened a month late. The event nevertheless left its mark on the capital, with buildings such as the Palais de Chaillot, which replaced the old Palais du Trocadéro, the Palais des Musées d'Art Moderne, the Pavillon des Travaux Publics and the Palais de Tokyo.
Years later, the capital still retains a beautiful legacy from the various World's Fairs, with several buildings now essential features of the Parisian landscape.
Trocadéro gardens, Grand Palais, Champs-Élysées, Invalides … An essential walk around the Eiffel Tower
