Looking Back - 109 Years Have Gone By Since Milan Hosted its First World Expo

The date is April 28 1906; Milan is the host of the first World Expo in Italy. From 28 April  to 11 November, the event commemorated the creation of the Simplon Tunnel, by dedicating the Expo theme to  ‘transport’. Expo 1906 paid homage to the railway tunnel that connects Italy with Switzerland. Dug under the Alps, measuring an impressive 19,800 meters, the tunnel would be the longest railway tunnel in the world for the next 76 years. 

Expo 1906 later became officially recognised as one of the very first ‘Universal Expositions’, born from a protocol change in 1928. Formerly, the exhibition was to be titled “Land and Maritime Transport”, but due to an unexpected demand and interest surge in agriculture, science and decorative arts, this was reconsidered. From this, the focus was shifted to transportation by showcasing the latest technology in modern transports – most notably, by a futuristic suspension railway that connected Sempione Park and Piazza delle Armi.

Expo 1906 itself was constructed behind the famous Castello Sforzesco, currently known as Sempione Park. The area known as Fiera di MIlano had previously hosted many national exhibitions prior to the Expo, and on the occasion of the International Exhibition, 225 new buildings were installed, including the civic aquarium, which can still be seen in Sempione Park today. 

With 40 participating nations and around 10 million visitors, Expo 1906 showcased the most recent developments in transportation from around the world. On site, there were two separate areas, one inside Park Sempione, and another closer to exhibition itself. This allowed the park to host specifically art based exhibitions, whilst nearby various participating countries could show off locomotive maneuvers. 

Fast forward 100 years to Expo Milano 2015, you will find the EU pavilion featuring a 1,900M squared area, across three main floors; the ground floor, which will host the visitor experience, the second  floor, providing room for conferences, presentations and  EU-dedicated exhibits, and the third floor, featuring an open terrace area for entertainment and events.

With a projected 360-420 people visiting the EU pavilion per hour, there will be a large amount of visitors able to enjoy every aspect of the pavilion itself, from over 200 conferences, to the stunning views over the Expo Lake Arena.

European Expo's of the past  both paved  the way for modern day World Expos and laid a solid foundation of societal progression, to  raise the bar for history to be made for years to come. The EU pavilion looks forward to continuing the legacy at Expo Milano 2015 this year.