The Universal Expositions have a long tradition behind them: 170 years like the countries which, to date, are members of the BIE, International Exhibition Office, the organization leading the Expo.
Since its inception, the BIE has always classified exhibitions, adopting a series of regulations. We can distinguish: Historical exhibits (from 1851-1933), le First and second category General Exhibitions (1935-1962), the Universal Expositions (1992 and 2000) and, finally, those Sign up (2005-2020).
According to the latest protocol, the Universal Expositions are characterized by five elements: frequency every 5 years, the maximum duration of 6 months, the construction of the pavilions by the participants, undefined size of the area and a general theme. Furthermore, there must be a time interval of at least 15 years between two exhibitions organized by the same country.
From this classification are distinguished the Specialized Exhibitions, characterized by a smaller exhibition area, defined by a specific theme, with a maximum duration of three months and organized between two Universal Expositions. Let's go through them, one by one.
EHISTORICAL POSITIONS:
1851 London - UK
With the theme "Industry of all Nations", the first Universal Exhibition took place in Hyde Park. On the occasion, the Crystal Palace was built, an iron and glass building. American industry presents vulcanized rubber, the first dentures and the drum gun.
1855 Paris – France
Napoleon III, driven by a strong sense of competition, ordered the construction of a building worthy of the English one: the Palazzo delle Industrie. The saxophone, the sewing machine, the first talking doll and Foucault's pendulum, the experiment showing the rotation of the Earth, are presented.
1862 London – United Kingdom
The expenses were covered in part with the profits from the first exhibition. The first analytical engine, a first computer prototype, the first rubber made with rubber and the Bessemer converter, a furnace for the production of steel were presented.
1867 Paris - France
Second edition in France, which consolidates the idea of the pavilions, which will then be implemented in the following ones. The success was enormous, it counted 15 million visitors.
1873 Vienna - Austria-Hungary
Unlike previous exhibitions, the central theme is culture and education. For the occasion, the Rotunde was built, a large circular building, which unfortunately had the same end as the Crystal Palace: destroyed by fire in 1937.
1876 Philadelphia - United States
The exhibition that revolutionized communication: Alexander Bell's telephone, the first typewriters and the telegraph.
1878 Paris - France
The Expo returns to Paris. It's the year of the megaphone, the phonograph and the solar-powered ice-making engine. Memorable is the conference in which Victor Hugo introduced, for the first time, the concept of intellectual property and copyright.
1880 Melbourne - Australia
The Expo arrives for the first time in Australia. On the occasion of the event, the Royal Exhibition Building, recognized as a World Heritage Site, was completed.
1888 Barcelona - Spain
Barcelona, second city of Spain, first industrial center. It is here that Gustave Eiffel presented the Eiffel tower project, which however did not please those in charge, preferring the classic style of the Arc de Triomf, today it is the seat of the Museum of Zoology.
1889 Paris - France
The most famous Expo of all time. Mainly remembered for the construction of the Eiffel Tower, but diesel-powered cars and the gramophone were also presented. It was also the first demonstration to experiment with electricity on a large scale as a substitute energy source for steam.
1893 Chicago - United States
To celebrate the fourth centenary of the discovery of the Americas, the Chicago Expo takes the name of the Great Columbian Fair. We witness the first Ferris wheel, built by George Ferris, and the birth of bodybuilding, thanks to the performance of Eugene Sandow.
1897 Brusselss - Belgium
The main venues were connected by a specially built tramway, the Jubilee Parks and the colonial section in Tervuren. At the center of the Expo was Art Nouveau.
1900 Paris - France
The first of the new century makes the record of visitors, more than 50 million. The Lumière brothers present the cinematograph and the first chess tournament is held with the best players of the time.
1904 St. Louis - United States
We return to US territory, to celebrate the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
1905 Liege - Belgium
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the independence of Belgium. A new railway station was built for the exhibition.
1906 Milan - Italy
First Expo in Italy at the behest of King Vittorio Emanuele III and Queen Elena, dedicated to the theme of transport (Simplon Tunnel). Introduced the first air conditioning systems.
1910 Brussels - Belgium
The site for the exhibition was the Mont des Arts, which was largely demolished after the war. For the fine arts, three works by Monet, Rodin and Renoir and two by Matisse were presented.
1911 Torino - Italy
On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the unification of Italy, the exhibition was hosted in the Parco del Valentino, from which the monumental bridge started, considered the greatest architectural work.
1913 Ghent - Belgium
The largest exhibition in Brussels in terms of area (130 hectares). Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station and the Citadelpark park were completed for the event.
1915 San Francisco - United States
To celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal and the building of the city of San Francisco, but above all to redeem the city after the 1906 earthquake. The only surviving building is the Palace of Fine Arts.
1929 Barcelona - Spain
To promote the image of Catalonia abroad, involving an urban overhaul of the city: the Montjuic hill and the Plaza of Spain.
1933 Chicago - United States
The theme of the Expo was "A Century of Progress" for the centenary of the city. It took place in Burham Park.
FIRST CATEGORY GENERAL EXHIBITIONS:
1935 Brussels - Belgium
The theme of the exhibition was colonization 50 years after the establishment of the Independent State of the Congo. Among the contemporary artists, Magritte, a surrealist painter, stood out, who saw his career take off.
1958 Brussels - Belgium
The first Expo organized after the Second World War. For the occasion, the Atomium was built, a steel structure 102 meters high.
1967 Montreal - Canada
the Expo to celebrate the centenary of the proclamation of the Federation of Canada. The Picturephone, a black and white videophone, was first shown.
1970Osaka - Japan
The Expo lands on the Asian continent, where the first IMAX screen and a mobile phone prototype are presented. It holds the visitor record compared to previous exhibitions: more than 64 million.
CATEGORY XNUMX GENERAL EXHIBITIONS:
1937 Paris - France
Picasso's Guernica is exhibited to the world during the Spanish Civil War.
1939 New York - United States
The central theme is the future. For the first time, television is presented to the public and visitors move around the Expo with the first escalators.
1949 Port-au-Prince - Haiti
On the 1th anniversary of the city's founding, $XNUMX million was taken from funds to build the exposition site, which constituted three-quarters of the island's annual budget.
1962 Seattle - United States
"Man in the Space Age". Organized for the success of the Soviet Sputnik mission, the Space Needle was built, the tower with the appearance of a flying saucer. Also, the first fax was presented.
UNIVERSAL EXHIBITIONS:
1992 Seville - Spain
The only Expo in which about thirty pavilions have survived (generally not even ten), some used, others abandoned and others still waiting for new buyers.
2000 Hanover – Germany
The first to be granted the use of pre-existing structures by the BIE. He mainly focused on developing and presenting solutions for the future.
EREGISTERED POSITIONS:
2005 Aichi - Japan
The theme was "The Wisdom of Nature", with the aim of encouraging greater awareness of the knowledge and conservation of nature.
2010 Shanghai - China
The first Expo of all time, in terms of cost and number of participants (73 million). 192 countries and 50 international organizations participated. The theme chosen was that of urban sustainability.
2015 Milan - Italy
"Feeding the planet, energy for life", the central theme is food that each country has faced in its own way: from food education to the lack of food in many parts of the world. On the occasion, the Tree of Life was built, a structure of steel and wood, 37 meters high.
2020 Dubai – United Arab Emirates
The 50th edition will be held on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of the founding of the UAE in October this year. The exhibition intends to recall the spirit of cooperation in the name of development and innovation.
