Technikatörténeti szemle 15. (1985)

TANULMÁNYOK - Vámos Éva Katalin: Iparkiállítások Magyarországon a XIX. sz. második felében, különös tekintettel az 1885-ös Országos Kiállításra

ÉVA KATALIN VÁMOS: INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITIONS IN HUNGARY IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19th CENTURY WITH SPECIAL REGARD TO THE NATIONAL EXHIBITION IN 1885 Already in the second half of the 19

th century the great exhibitions (world, national and industrial exhibitions) were regularly organized all over the world. The so-colled „First Hungarian Exhibition of Industrial Products" in 1842 is considered to have been the first exhibition of this kind in Hungary. Two more of these „Exhibitions of Industrial Products" were organized in Pest, one in 1843 and one in 1846. Then the Revolution and War of Independence in 1848—49 put an end to this movement. For more than two decades no national exhibitions were organized in Hungary, though the Industrial Association had on its programme, since 1867, the organisation of a „Hungárián National Exhibition" in Pest. This took place only in 1885, after many unsuccesful attempts. Between 1846 and 1885 numerous local industrial exhibitions were opened. Three national exhibitions were organized in the country in trun: in 1872 in Kecskemét, in 1876 in Szeged and in 1879 in Székesfehérvár. These were real national exhibitions where all branches of agriculture, industry and art cultivated in this country were represented. Finally, from 1883 on, the organization of the Budapest National General Exhibition began. The government took responsibility of the exhibition; the Industrial Association and the City Council of Budapest were the main organizers. There were 14 local Organizing Committees set up all over the country. The exhibits were devided into 32 groups plus two ,,Additional Exhibitions" where also foreign companies could show their products. The exhibition was opened on the 2

nd May, 1885 on 270 000 m

2 in the City Park of Budapest. The exhibition area in the central exhibition halls was more than 25 000 m

2

. Among these exhibition halls there were buildings which were used until they were ruined in World War II. like the Hall of Industry and the Hall of Arts. The Budapest National General Exhibition in 1885 served as a basis for the organisation of the 1896 Millennium Exhibition and its influence can be found in our recent industrial exhibitions, too. Therefore it might be useful to commemorate its centennial even in this periodical.