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Some world expositions seem to have a follow-up event automatically. Although the 1888 exposition in Barcelona was only a lukewarm success, it kindled ambitions amongst local Catalan politicians to try again. In 1913, a Junta Directiva de l'Exposicio was constituted under the chair of mayor Joan Pich y Pon to prepare an exposition of the electrical engineering industry in 1917. In the year thereafter, an application was made to the Spanish government for financial aid in developing and beautifying the green areas of the city in the run-up to the exposition. The government granted the city authorities the right to use the area around the city fortress on the Montjuich mountain, previously used for agricultural and military purposes. All planning ceased during the First World War. The project only got back on its feet in 1920, and the construction of the Montjuich park started. In 1923 the first building was opened as part of the International Furniture and Interior Decoration Exhibition.
After military dictator Primo de Rivera came to power in Spain, the exposition plans were revised. A major exposition seemed the perfect vehicle to present the new government. Two years later it was decided to organise a world exposition in Barcelona, to run simultaneously with the Ibero-American exposition in Seville. The population was confidently expected to agree, because the 1888 exposition generated a considerable wave of modernisation in the city. The programme of the exposition was divided into three sections: industry with international participation; sport; and art in Spain.
The general management of the exposition was split between numerous sub-organisations: an executive committee, an honorary committee and an advisory committee. In 1926 the rules for the world exposition were finally stipulated. Albert Henri Marie de Bourbon e de Castellvi was named royal commissioner, while the Marqués de Foronda presided over the executive committee. The managing director for construction work was Pedro Domenech. His chief architects were Josep Puig y Cadafalch and Lluis Domenech y Montaner. The list of 20 officially participating European nations included Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Rumania and Switzerland. A number of private exhibitors from other European countries, the Orient, Japan and the USA were also on board.
| Year: 1929 | City: Barcelona | Country: Spain |
| Duration: 20 May 1929 - 15 January 1930 | ||
