Ghent International Exposition (1913)

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1913 Ghent
Panorama of the exposition of 1913 by Armand Heins
Overview
BIE-classUniversal exposition
CategoryHistorical Expo
NameExposition Universelle et Internationale de Gand 1913
Building(s)Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station
Area130 hectares (320 acres)*
Participant(s)
Countries31
Location
CountryBelgium
CityGhent
VenueCitadelpark
Coordinates51°02′16.4″N 3°43′12″E / 51.037889°N 3.72000°E / 51.037889; 3.72000
Timeline
OpeningApril 6, 1913 (1913-04-06)
ClosureOctober 31, 1913 (1913-10-31)
Universal expositions
PreviousEsposizione internationale d'industria e de labora in Turin
NextPanama–Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco
Internet
Websitewww.expo1913.be

The Exposition universelle et internationale of 1913 was a World's Fair held in Ghent from 6 April to 31 October.

History

In the last of such type of human zoo stagings, part of a group of 53 Igorot tribesmen from Bontoc, Mountain Province, 28-year-old Filipino Timicheg was "displayed" and died here of tuberculosis[1] or flu.[2] A tunnel in the Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station renovation project is named after him.

A number of buildings were completed for the occasion. Notably, Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station was completed in 1912 in time for the exposition,[3] and was situated opposite the new hotel, Flandria Palace.[4] The park, Citadelpark, was also redesigned for the fair. The exposition was held on an area of 130 hectares (320 acres), which was larger than Expo 58 in Brussels.[5] Various Belgian cities had a pavilion and an artificial town, called "Oud Vlaenderen" (Old Flanders) was created.[6]

The four sons of Aymon statue, depicting Reinout, Adelaert, Ritsaert and Writsaert on their horse, Beyaert, was erected on the central approach avenue to the exposition.[7]

In preparation for the exhibition, renovations were made in the centre of Ghent, including a large number of houses on the Graslei.[8][9] Some years beforen the neo gothic St Michael's Bridge had been built to provide visitors to the expo with a vantage point to view the town,[10] the post office[11] and the Korenmarkt (Wheat Market) had been built, and the carved heads now arrayed around it represented the rulers who attended the exhibition (including Florence Nightingale).[10] The construction of the exhibition was controversial and ended on the eve of World War I with serious debts.[12]

Belgium's first aerial postage service was operated from 1 May to 25 August by Henri Crombez during the exposition.[13]

The Ghent fair was attended, among many others, by the much traveled Greek confectionnaire Leonidas Kestekides, and it was then that he decided to settle permanently in Belgium and found the internationally famous Leonidas company.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Timicheg". pinoy-ofw.com. 13 May 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  2. ^ "De Timichegtunnel in Gent". radio1.be. 14 December 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  3. ^ "Ghent 1913". History. The Side Isle. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  4. ^ "The World Exhibition of 1913". History of Ghent. City of Ghent. 18 October 2001. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  5. ^ "Ons Volk Ontwaakt: De Wereldtentoonstelling te Gent". Users.skynet.be. 1913-04-06. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  6. ^ "Ons Volk Ontwaakt: Een kijkje in de Wereldtentoonstelling van Gent". Users.skynet.be. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  7. ^ "The four 'Heemskinderen' - statue". Ghent - Statues. citytripplanner. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  8. ^ The World of 1913 on gent.be
  9. ^ Balthazar, Herman (Autumn 2008). "Brussels World Fair – "Expo '58"". Ghent University Library. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  10. ^ a b Phil Lee, Rough Guide Directions Bruges & Ghent, Rough Guides, p. 115, ISBN 978-1-85828-631-0
  11. ^ THE/1/464.cmVjPTQ0MTM4.html The Post Office at gent.be
  12. ^ "De flop van 1913 - Miserie troef op de Gentse wereldexpo". Tiens Tiens. Stadskrant TiensTiens. 16 December 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  13. ^ Cooper, Ralph. "Henri Crombez -1960". from CONTACT by Henry Serrano Villard, p. 189. The Early Birds of Aviation, Inc. Retrieved 8 December 2010.

External links

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