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Britain's Great Exhibition of 1851

Between May 1st to October 11th in 1851, Britain's Great Exhibition of Works of Industry of all Nations took place. It's main aim was to showcase the industrial and cultural products of the world and it drew exhibitors and visitors from all over the world.Take a look at this incredible exhibition (and be sure to check out the short documentary at the end):

 
Click on images to enlarge
 
1. The transept from the grand entrance.
great britain exhibition
The exhibition was housed in a vast iron and glass building that was constructed especially for this purpose in London's Hyde Park. The venue was named the 'Crystal Palace'. 
2. The foreign department, viewed towards the transept.
great britain exhibition
The glasshouse stretched 1,851 feet long and 128 feet high. The venue was built around several elm trees to prevent them from being cut down.
3. The British nave.
great britain exhibition
At the opening ceremony Queen Victoria performed. The exhibition was an immediate success, welcoming over 6 million visitors, who all got to feast their eyes on more than 13,000 exhibits from Britain. 
4. Belgium.
great britain exhibition

It also featured the largest diamond in the world - a 186-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond. 

5. India.
great britain exhibition
The exhibition also featured famed inventors like Samuel Colt who demonstrated several of his revolvers, as well as Frederick Bakewell who wowed the crowd with an early fax machine, and also George Merryweather who debuted his 'Tempest Prognosticator' - a barometer that used leeches kept in bottles of rainwater. According to Merryweather, the leeches would ascend a tube at the approach of a storm, and in doing so, ring a warning bell.
6. Machinery.
great britain exhibition
Six months after the exhibition was held, the palace was deconstructed and rebuilt in South London in a new form. The new building remained a landmark from 1854 until 1936. 
7. Moving machinery.
great britain exhibition
Sadly, the building had burned down by this point, though thankfully, incredible illustrations of what the Crystal Palace looked like back then survived.
8. Agriculture.
great britain exhibition
9. Austria.
great britain exhibition
 
10. India.
great britain exhibition
11. Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
great britain exhibition
12. China.
great britain exhibition
13. Tunisia and China.
great britain exhibition
14. Sheffield Hardware.
great britain exhibition
15. Turkey.
great britain exhibition
16. Furs.
great britain exhibition
17. France.
great britain exhibition
18. France Sevre Court.
great britain exhibition
19. West Indies, Colonies etc.
great britain exhibition
20. Jersey, Gurnsey, Ceylon, Malta. 
great britain exhibition
Now watch this short video featuring more stunning photos of what the Great Exhibition was like:

Source: mashable 

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