The Crystal Palace (English: The Crystal Palace) in London can hardly be called a palace. This 19th century glass and cast iron structure was more like a huge greenhouse. It was built for the Great Exhibition of 1851, as the main exhibition hall and a symbol of industrial progress in England. Architect Joseph Paxton created a modern and functional structure that lasted until 1936, at which point his creation was consumed by fire.
Although exhibitions of this type had been held since the mid-18th century, it was the World Exhibition of 1851 that was the first truly ‘grand’ one. A separate building was built to showcase the achievements of all nations. The Crystal Palace was the brainchild of gardener and Member of Parliament Joseph Paxton.
The age-old rivalry
The mid-19th century was a time of fierce rivalry between England and France. For this reason, the technological achievements of these two countries dominated the exhibition. It is worth noting that seven years earlier, the French had enthralled the world with the first calculator (arithmometer) and the first available photographs (daguerreotypes). Prince Albert, Henry Cole and the entire Royal Society for the Promotion of the Arts must have prepared something to impress.
The exhibition hall alone raised the stakes. The French organised nearly 4,000 stalls in 1844. In contrast, Paxton’s Crystal Palace accommodated as many as 14,000 exhibitors. The French exhibition was guided by King Louis Philippe I. The British one was opened by the most powerful ruler in the world at the time – Queen Victoria. Such comparisons can be multiplied.
But what was on show at the Crystal Palace? First and foremost, the world’s largest diamond of the time, the Koh-i-Noor, and the rare pink diamond Daria-i-Noor. In addition to the stunning gemstones, a prototype fax machine, a counting machine, a Navy Colt revolver and improved daguerreotypes were on display. Of course, there was no shortage of precious gold, wood and silver wares. The innovation of the event was in the presentation of modern techniques for the manufacture of specific objects.
Folding palace
The construction of the palace consisted of prefabricated modules. This solution helped to save some resources on the interiors. The large ‘greenhouse’ did not need to be clad in expensive leather or wood. The glass from the Chance Brothers factory in Smethwick was produced in uniform sizes, which meant that Paxton had to use mass-produced parts.
The 564 × 39 m building was constructed in just nine months. At its highest point, the palace was as high as 51 m. The architect incorporated many interesting solutions. In addition to the aforementioned modules, Paxton developed a ventilation system based on mechanical hatches. A second way of cooling the ‘greenhouses’ was by means of canvas sheets hung at some of the windows. Machines were developed to sweep the floor, with dust falling between the appropriately spaced panels. The architect thought of everything from the cobbled roof to the patented gutters. Paxton’s invention drained water through special pipes hidden in the building’s frame. On top of all this, trees were inserted inside, as befits a greenhouse, along with fine greenery and a fountain.
Dogs, cats and dinosaurs
After the World Exhibition, the palace was dismantled and reassembled on Sydenham Hill. The temporary structure of the building had to be strengthened and redesigned. The building was enlarged and cradle roofs were installed along the length of the hall. The new Crystal Palace became larger, taller and greener. The palace, thus remodelled, was to be a new permanent exhibition hall.
Art, dinosaur models and circus stunts were shown on Sydenham Hill. Crystal Palace was a fashionable venue for exhibitions. Celebrities of the time such as Giuseppe Garibaldi, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Charles Darwin often came there. In the 1870s and 1880s, exhibitions of dogs, pigeons, exotic animals and the world’s first cat show were held. An organ was even installed inside and the Crystal Palace became, in part, a concert hall.
The human zoo
Many of the events held at the palace had to do with Britain’s colonial advances. Distant African cultures, their costumes, weapons … as well as the people of the Black Continent themselves were presented. An analogous exhibition on India and Asia was also organised in the early 20th century. This culminated in the Festival of Empires in 1911. The achievements of the various dominions of the British Empire (Canada, South Africa, Australia, etc.) were showcased. Even scaled-up buildings of their parliaments were reproduced. The whole thing was a sealing of the coronation of King George V.
After the First World War, the palace was converted into the Imperial War Museum. Of course, exhibitions could still be seen in another part of the huge building. By the 1920s, the building was already in urgent need of renovation. The poor condition of the structure discouraged people from visiting the place. Thanks to the efforts of the palace’s director Sir Henry Buckland, funds were raised and the necessary repairs were carried out. The renovated building began to attract visitors again.
Crystal Palace F.C
The park is worth mentioning at this point. Crystal Palace Park was an expensive garden with fountains, ponds and the world’s first 33 dinosaur sculptures. Interestingly, for the world of the time, the discovery and study of the great reptiles was a fresh matter. The skull of a giant sloth ancestor was donated to the park by Charles Darwin himself. Over time, the park grounds became a sports facility. Cricket and football were played on the fields of Crystal Park. Crystal Palace F.C club practised and played matches on the park until 1915. Easy access to the whole complex was provided by two railway stations. One of these is still in operation today.
The story of the most famous exhibition hall of the ‘Beautiful Era’ came to an abrupt end in 1936: a small blaze in the women’s changing room turned into a fire. The evening fire burned down the entire palace, despite the efforts of more than 400 firefighters. The building was not adequately insured, causing plans for reconstruction to be abandoned.
The end of an era
Winston Churchil called the Crystal Palace fire “the end of an era”. Karl Marx would probably have smiled posthumously at the sight of the hated building in flames. It was during the Great Exhibition that the philosopher made his conclusion about the ‘concentration of power’ and ‘capitalist fetishism’. In turn, the last director, Sir Henry Buckland, understood the gravity of the disaster like no one else. On top of all this, prototypes of a mechanical television set designed by John Logie Baird burned down in the south tower of the building.
Numerous attempts to rebuild were unsuccessful. The British tried, and then even the Chinese. Today, the Crystal Palace is a symbol of lost power for England. It was built when London was the capital of the world and is associated with this fact by older generations of English people. After all, it was in the “crystal” interiors that everything the world away from Europe offered was exhibited.
Source: Domus
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