Paris : When the future was wonderful
Feb 26, 2009 8:48:29 GMT
Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2009 8:48:29 GMT
In the second half of the 19th century, the great cities of Europe had world fairs constantly. London organized the very first one 1851, but it was Paris that became obsessed with them. Paris held "universal expositions" in 1855, 1867, 1878, 1879 and 1900. The one in 1900 was the most successful ever and attracted more than 50 million visitors.
Fabulous buildings were built for these events, such as the Crystal Palace in London or the Grand Palais in Paris. Nevertheless, the buildings were meant to be temporary, even if some of them are still around. The Crystal Palace was dismantled after the fair and reassembled elsewhere, remaining until it burned down in 1936. Meanwhile the Grand Palais is still there and is as busy as ever.
However, it is interesting to see some of the things that were built in Paris just for fun -- and torn down a year or two later.
The head of the Statue of Liberty, before shipping it to New York
The Asian colonial pavilions along the Seine
The Trocadéro Palace
The "Old Paris" exhibit
The central exposition zone next to the Eiffel Tower
The zone of foreign countries
Temporary river transportation
The palace of that great new invention -- electricity -- where the word "television" was first coined in 1900 as a distant dream
The wonders of the industrial world and modern factories
More temporary grandeur
Fabulous buildings were built for these events, such as the Crystal Palace in London or the Grand Palais in Paris. Nevertheless, the buildings were meant to be temporary, even if some of them are still around. The Crystal Palace was dismantled after the fair and reassembled elsewhere, remaining until it burned down in 1936. Meanwhile the Grand Palais is still there and is as busy as ever.
However, it is interesting to see some of the things that were built in Paris just for fun -- and torn down a year or two later.
The head of the Statue of Liberty, before shipping it to New York
The Asian colonial pavilions along the Seine
The Trocadéro Palace
The "Old Paris" exhibit
The central exposition zone next to the Eiffel Tower
The zone of foreign countries
Temporary river transportation
The palace of that great new invention -- electricity -- where the word "television" was first coined in 1900 as a distant dream
The wonders of the industrial world and modern factories
More temporary grandeur
Thank god I'm not the only one who doesn't pay attention to everything written in posts -- I am taken to task for it regularly.