World Expos Left Some of the Most Famous Buildings on Earth
An expo is a large public exhibition. Several landmarks were built as temporary structures for one.
An expo is a large public exhibition, short for *exposition*. World expositions were meant to be temporary and left permanent monuments anyway: the Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 Paris exposition and scheduled for demolition after twenty years, saved only because its height made it useful for radio. The Crystal Palace of 1851, the Space Needle of 1962 and the Atomium of 1958 all began the same way, as showpieces for a single season.
- A public exhibition. *A trade expo.*
- Exposition — the full word. *An exposition.*
- World expo. *A world expo.*
- Eiffel Tower — built for one. *The Eiffel Tower.*
- Latin — *exponere*, to set forth. *The root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | expo | An expo. |
| Plural | expos | Expos. |
| Full form | exposition | An exposition. |
| Related | expose | To expose. |
| Latin | exponere | To set forth. |
- The expo drew a million visitors.Event.
- The Eiffel Tower was temporary.History.
- Exposition is the full word.Etymology.
Landmarks built for expositions
- Eiffel Tower — Paris 1889, saved by its usefulness for radio
- Crystal Palace — London 1851, later moved and lost to fire in 1936
- Atomium — Brussels 1958, modelled on an iron crystal
- Space Needle — Seattle 1962
- All were conceived as temporary structures
Short for *exposition*, from Latin *exponere*, to set forth or display.
Was the Eiffel Tower meant to be permanent?
No. It was built for the 1889 Paris exposition with a twenty-year permit, and survived because its height proved valuable for radio transmission.
What is a world expo?
A large international exhibition where countries present technology, culture and design, held at intervals since 1851.