The General German Industrial Exhibition was designed to demonstrate German industry to a global audience, but was adversely impacted by a cholera epidemic.[1]
| General German Industrial Exhibition | |
|---|---|
_(Zeno_Fotografie).jpg) | |
| Overview | |
| BIE-class | Unrecognized exposition |
| Name | General German Industrial Exhibition |
| Building(s) | Glaspalast |
| Area | 15,670 square metres (1.567 ha) |
| Visitors | 90,000 on first day |
| Organized by | Maximilian II, King of Bavaria (organiser), August von Voit (venue designer) |
| Location | |
| Country | Kingdom of Bavaria |
| City | Munich |
| Coordinates | 48°08′32″N 11°33′53″E / 48.14222°N 11.56472°E |
| Timeline | |
| Opening | 15 July 1854 |
| Closure | 15 October 1854 |
It ran from 15 July 1854[2] until 15 October.[3] There more than 5,000 visitors a day[2] with more than 90,000 visitors on the first day.[3]
Building
editThe building, the Glaspalast, followed the architecture of The Crystal Palace three years earlier in London.[4] It was made of glass and cast iron, over two levels inspired. It had two stories and over 234 by 67 m (768 by 220 ft) of floor area, and was 25 m (82 ft) tall.[3]
Cholera
editThere had been global cases of cholera (the third cholera pandemic) before the festival, but the risk of it was downplayed and the exhibition[2] and a concurrent festival still took place.[1] By August the epidemic hit Munich, 3,000 people eventually died of cholera and some contracting it at the exhibition including a woman from Thaining visiting Munich to see the exhibit.[1]
Medals
edit
The medals showed Maximilian II on the obverse and the Glaspalast on reverse. They were designed by Carl Friedrich Voigt.[5]
Legacy
editThe Glaspalast had been intended to be used as a botanic garden, but was used for exhibitions which helped establish Munich's reputation,[6] until it burned in 1931.[5] The fountain was moved to the Haidhausen quarter.
References
edit- ^ a b c Wagner, Meike, PERFORMING IN CRISIS MODE: THE MUNICH NATIONAL THEATER, THE GREAT EXHIBITION AND THE CHOLERA EPIDEMIC OF 1854
- ^ a b c War, bombs, cholera • Oktoberfest.de - The Official Website for the Oktoberfest in Munich, retrieved 5 May 2021
- ^ a b c "1854_Munich" (PDF). Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ^ "Crystal Palace | Description, History, & Facts | Britannica". Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Bayern Maximilian 1854 Industrie + Gewerbeausstellung" (in German). Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ^ "Kunstpavillon - Über den Kunstpavillon" (in German). Archived from the original on 22 April 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2021.