Milan and Its Fair
The Fair belongs to Milan and Milan is the city of the Fair: together they form a perpetual bond
Striscione pubblicitario della Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1951 in piazza Duomo a Milano (post 1951/04/12 - ante 1951/04/29) by Ancillotti & MartinottiFondazione Fiera Milano
A century has gone by since the first spark was lighted along the bastions of Porta Venezia. That spark has become an eternal flame, burning brightly even now that the fairgrounds have found a new home near the metropolis.
Area espositiva Italsider alla Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1962 Area espositiva Italsider alla Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1962 (12/04/1962 - 27/04/1962) by PublifotoFondazione Fiera Milano
"It was about showing we were still alive, while those around us were already mourning our death; it was about showing that in the midst of controlled economies and more or less five-year plans, there is still room and a chance for success for the initiative of men with willpower.” — Vincenzo Cardarelli, «Corriere della Sera», September 24th, 1946.
Striscione pubblicitario della Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1957 all'ingresso della stazione ferroviaria Milano Centrale (ante 27/04/1957) by Non identificatoFondazione Fiera Milano
Striscione pubblicitario della Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1959 nella stazione centrale di Milano (1959) by Ancillotti & MartinottiFondazione Fiera Milano
The Pirelli Tower, built between 1956 and 1961 and designed by Gio Ponti, Giuseppe Valtolina, Pier Luigi Nervi, Antonio Fornaroli, Alberto Rosselli, Giuseppe Rinardi, and Egidio Dell'Orto.
Standing at 127 metres, it was the tallest building in Italy from 1960 to 1995.
Insegna luminosa del chiosco Motta alla Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1951 (12/04/1951 - 29/04/1951) by Non identificatoFondazione Fiera Milano
“In a few days’ time, just like in the fairy tales, a modern city lit by a thousand lights and decked with flags will leap out and vibrate with life, attracting people from everywhere around the world.” — Giovanni Titta Rosa
Veduta notturna dell'installazione pubblicitaria Pirelli alla Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1951 (12/04/1951 - 29/04/1951) by Non identificatoFondazione Fiera Milano
A network of relationships
The word “fair” derives from the Latin feria, meaning a holiday, a day of festivity. Holidays have always been moments of celebration, but also occasions for organizing big market fairs similar to shows, which could last for days and where business deals could be made.
Padiglione Italsider alla Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1966 Padiglione Italsider alla Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1966 (14/04/1966 - 25/04/1966) by PublifotoFondazione Fiera Milano
That tradition of a multi-day event for business still survives in fairs today. Fairs are a privileged arena for the trade of goods and products and for building networks between people, where a “trade mentality” reigns supreme.
Area espositiva Breda alla Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1953 (post 1953/04/12 - ante 1953/04/29) by Non identificatoFondazione Fiera Milano
The city of Milan, thanks to its geographic positioning but not only, is an ideal place for those networks to come together.
Striscione pubblicitario della Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1951 in piazza Cadorna a Milano (1951) by Ancillotti & MartinottiFondazione Fiera Milano
Around the heart of Milan
The Milan fairgrounds were not just fairgrounds for Milan. Over the years, they would expand beyond their fences to build important partnerships with major Italian institutions.
Veduta del patio del padiglione della Montecatini alla Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1929 (post 1929/04/12 - ante 1929/04/27)Fondazione Fiera Milano
For instance, with the La Scala theatre, which was hosted in 1946 while the historic concert hall in the city centre healed the wounds of the bombings it suffered in the Second World War.
Padiglione Rai alla Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1966 Padiglione Rai alla Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1966 (14/04/1966 - 25/04/1966) by PublifotoFondazione Fiera Milano
With the national broadcaster RAI, which first started broadcasting on a pilot basis from the fairgrounds, and where it would go on to produce programmes that have gone down in Italian history (including Rischiatutto, Domenica Sportiva, and Portobello).
Fontane luminose alla Fiera Campionria di Milano del 1960 Fontane luminose alla Fiera Campionria di Milano del 1960 (4/12/1960) by Non identificatoFondazione Fiera Milano
And with the Expo 2015 Promotion Committee and Arexpo, helping to bring the event to Milan and then develop and promote it.
Mostra "L'uomo dello spazio" (09/06/1962 - 17/06/1962) by PublifotoFondazione Fiera Milano
«Buzzati Maintains»
“The Fair is Milan’s Easter egg. And any self-respecting Easter egg harbours a surprise. In this immense egg, thousands and thousands of surprises, they say, await.”—Dino Buzzati, «Corriere della Sera», April 14th, 1968.
Vista del Duomo di Milano dalla Terrazza Martini (1958) by Non identificatoFondazione Fiera Milano
Pre-dinner drinks overlooking the Cathedral from the rooftop of Terrazza Martini (established 1958) have long been a tradition for Milan’s high society, when not at the fairgrounds for business.
Striscione pubblicitario della Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1957 nella stazione centrale di Milano (post 1957/04/12 - ante 1957/04/27) by Ancillotti & MartinottiFondazione Fiera Milano
Padiglione della Fiat e installazione segnaletica con vigile alla Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1957 (post 1957/04/12 - ante 1957/04/27) by Ancillotti & MartinottiFondazione Fiera Milano
Timeless
As Gio Ponti once said, Milan refuses to grow old—and likewise the fairgrounds, which have kept pace with the times, and always will. Starting out as the brave, almost heroic adventure of a small group of people, the fairgrounds went on to bring the world to Milan for the Milan Fair, which would become a leading showcase of all that is Made in Italy.
Edicola alla Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1961 (12/04/1961 - 27/04/1961) by Non identificatoFondazione Fiera Milano
And when times changed, the fairgrounds changed, too, branching out into specialized shows, with its sights set on internationalization. As trade shows and industry conventions proliferated, the fairgrounds expanded, growing in a city that has always been short on space—first to the Portello district (1997) and then to the municipalities of Rho and Pero (2005).
Veduta aerea della Torre Velasca a Milano (1958) by Non identificatoFondazione Fiera Milano
The Velasca Tower, built between 1955 and 1957 and designed by Studio BBPR, is one of the very few examples of post-rationalist brutalist architecture in Italy.
Striscione ATM con indicazioni per la Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1964 Striscione ATM con indicazioni per la Fiera Campionaria di Milano del 1964 (12/04/1964 - 25/04/1964) by Non identificatoFondazione Fiera Milano
This virtual path has been created in collaboration with Promemoria Group.
www.promemoriagroup.com
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Fondazione Fiera Milano Historical Archive:
archiviostorico.fondazionefiera.it
