Brussels International Exposition (1897)

EXPO Brussels 1897
Exhibition poster by Art Nouveau artist Henri Privat-Livemont
Overview
BIE-class	Universal exposition
Category	Historical Expo
Name	Exposition Internationale de Bruxelles
Building	Paleis der Koloniën
Visitors	7,800,000
Participant(s)
Countries	27
Location
Country	Belgium
City	Brussels
Venue	Jubelpark
Coordinates	50°50′30″N 4°23′19.4″E / 50.84167°N 4.388722°E / 50.84167; 4.388722
Timeline
Opening	May 10, 1897 (1897-05-10)
Closure	November 8, 1897 (1897-11-08)
Universal expositions
Previous	World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago
Next	Exposition Universelle (1900) in Paris

The Brussels International Exposition (Exposition Internationale de Bruxelles) of 1897 was a World's fair held in Brussels, Belgium, from May 10, 1897 through November 8, 1897. There were 27 participating countries, and an estimated attendance of 7.8 million people.

The main venues of the fair were the Cinquantenaire Parks and a colonial section at Tervuren showcasing King Leopold II of Belgium's personal property, the Congo Free State. The two exposition sites were linked by a purpose-built tramway.

Colonial exhibit

The Tervuren section was hosted in the Palace of the Colonies (although there was only one colony), designed by Belgian architect Albert-Philippe Aldophe. In the main hall Georges Hobé designed a distinctive wooden Art Nouveau structure to evoke the forest, using Bilinga wood, an African tree. The interior exhibition displayed ethnographic objects, stuffed animals and in the "Hall of the Great Cultures" Congo's most important export products were displayed: coffee, cacao and tobacco. In the park, an example Congolese village was built, where 267 Africans lived through the period of the fair.^[1] The success of this exhibition led to the permanent establishment of the Royal Museum for Central Africa in 1898.

Art Nouveau

The primary designers of the fair were among of the Belgian masters of Art Nouveau architecture at the height of the style: Henry van de Velde, Paul Hankar, Gédéon Bordiau, and Gustave Serrurier-Bovy. Henri Privat-Livemont produced posters for the exposition.

There seem to be few physical remnants. The small neo-classical pavilion called the Temple of Human Passions that Victor Horta designed to house a sculptural relief by Jef Lambeaux was completed in time for the fair, but its opening was delayed by disputes until 1899.

Commemoration

Commemorative stamp and postmark.
Postcard.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Exposition Internationale de Bruxelles (1897).

References

↑ Hochschild, Adam. King Leopold's Ghost.

List of world's fairs and expositions in Belgium

Exposition Universelle d'Anvers (1885)
Grand Concours International des Sciences et de l'Industrie (1888)
Exposition Internationale d'Anvers (1894)
Brussels International (1897)
Liège International (1905)
Brussels International (1910)
Exposition universelle et internationale (Ghent, 1913)
Exposition internationale coloniale, maritime et d'art flamand (Antwerp, 1930)
Exposition of 1930 (Liège)
Brussels International Exposition (Brussels, 1935)
Exposition internationale de l'eau (Liège, 1939)
Foire coloniale (Brussels, 1948)
Expo '58 (Brussels)

List of world expositions

Retrospectively recognized expositions

BIE recognized Universal Expositions

BIE recognized Specialized Expositions

BIE recognized horticultural exhibitions (AIPH)

Canceled

Rome 1942
Chicago 1992
Vienna & Budapest 1995
Metro Manila 2002
Seine Saint Denis 2004

Not BIE recognized

Asia	Nanyang 1910 Hangzhou 1929 Nagoya 1937 Shenyang 2006

Oceania	Melbourne 1866 Sydney 1870 Melbourne 1875 Brisbane 1876 Sydney 1879 Dunedin 1889 Christchurch 1906 Auckland 1913–14 Dunedin 1925 Wellington 1939–40

Europe	London 1756 Dublin 1853 Manchester 1857 Porto 1865 London 1871–74 Vienna 1873 Amsterdam 1883 Liverpool 1886 London 1886 Copenhagen 1888 Glasgow 1888 Frankfurt 1891 Prague 1891 Lyon 1894 Oporto 1894 Berlin 1896 Glasgow 1901 Cork 1902 Hanoi 1902 London 1905 London 1906 Marseille 1906 Dublin 1907 London 1908 Zaragoza 1908 London 1910 Dresden 1911 London 1911 London 1912 Lyon 1914 Cologne 1914 London 1914 Kristiania 1914 Malmö 1914 Semarang 1914 London 1921 Marseille 1922 British Empire Exhibition (1924–25) Antwerp 1930 Stockholm 1930 Paris 1931 Porto 1934 Glasgow 1938

North America	New York City 1826–1897 Bryant Park, New York City 1853 Atlanta 1881 Louisville 1883–87 New Orleans 1884 Atlanta 1887 San Francisco 1894 Atlanta 1895 Nashville 1897 Omaha 1898 Buffalo 1901 Charleston 1901–02 Portland, Oregon 1905 Jamestown 1907 Seattle 1909 Knoxville 1913 San Diego 1915–17 Bronx 1918 Philadelphia 1926 San Diego 1935–36 Dallas 1936 Cleveland 1936–37 Dallas 1937 San Francisco 1939–40 New York City 1964–65

South America	Buenos Aires 1910 Rio de Janeiro 1922

Brussels topics

Historical events	Timeline Fortifications 1656 treaty 1695 bombardment 1746 siege Duchess of Richmond's ball Covering of the Senne Francisation Expo 1897 Expo 1910 Expo 1958 L'Innovation Department Store fire Heysel Stadium disaster Brussels Airport diamond heist

Administration	Government (Minister-President) Parliament Governor

Transport	Metro Brussels Airport Charleroi Airport North-South connection Trams Brussels Ring Small Ring

Other topics	Symbols (flag) Brussels and the European Union Science and technology

Lists	Buildings Notable persons Museums Railway stations Metro stations

Municipalities

Portal

Authority control	VIAF: 123211607 GND: 16138704-4

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