The first Russian exhibitions began to be held back in the 19th century. The initiator of their creation was the Ministry of Finance. In 1837, the Ministry of State Property was established; it paid special attention to the development of agriculture. The first agricultural exhibition in Russia contributed to the formation of special interests, increased the incentive to develop livestock and the agricultural sector.
Preparation for the first exhibition
In 1842, Tsar Nicholas I was presented with a proposal from the Ministry of State Property to create exhibition events where works of rural crafts, livestock and agriculture will be demonstrated. At that time, P. D. Kiselev led the Ministry, and he proposed holding the first exhibition in the Novorossiysk province. The main subject of the show at that time were animals. Nicholas I approved the proposal. So in 1842, a decree was issued on the procedure for exhibitions in Russia.
The first agricultural exhibition in Russia was prepared very carefully; it was covered in detail in the press. In January 1842, in the Odessa Herald published the contents of the Decree on the exhibition. In February, everyone got acquainted with the Exhibition Rules, they contained nineteen paragraphs. A little later, everyone learned the show program. Only animals of the Novorossiysk province were allowed to the exhibition: bulls, oxen, rams, horses, cows, pigs. In July 1843, Nicholas I approved the drawing of a medal to award the best participants. One side contained an image of the animal, the other - an inscription indicating that the award was presented by the Ministry of State Property.
Holding an exhibition in Odessa
The first agricultural exhibition in Russia in 1843 opened in Odessa in September. The Cross Exaltation Fair was opened at the same time, it was already the ninth since the approval. The direct participation in the animal review was taken by the Southern District Agricultural Society. From the descriptions of the first participants of the pet exhibition, you can find out that all Odessa residents were happy to attend the event. Such an event was held in these parts for the first time, and everyone was interested to witness an unusual parade of rural animals. The first agricultural exhibition in Russia was not yet represented by a large number of participants, but it was clear to everyone that such an event would be of great benefit in the development of agriculture. They immediately decided to hold a similar exhibition here and next year for the Novorossiysk provinces, the organization was entrusted to the Society of Agriculture. It is worth noting that in the Yaroslavl province the same year also hosted an agricultural exhibition.
Winner's reward ceremony
After the first agricultural exhibition in Russia ended, a solemn presentation of awards to the winners took place. The heroes of this ceremony were rural animals. There was no such extraordinary sight in Odessa, and in all of Russia, so hundreds of curious people gathered. The event became a folk extra-verbal holiday. A special place was decorated with flags, a lot of people gathered near the fair building. The protocol of the Imperial Agricultural Society on the results of the three-day exhibition was read by the commissars of "various ranks." The animals, crowned with awards, to the sound of music passed in a circle. After all the medals were awarded, the winners were decorated with flowers, ribbons and held around the fair. After that, the procession flowed onto the main streets of the city, where he was met by cheerful residents. Music sounded all the way.
Subsequent exhibitions
After the successful holding of the first exhibitions in 1845, Nicholas I proclaimed the "highest command." It ordered to transform the exhibition of domestic animals, to expand the show with other works of agriculture. A large role in this movement was played by Minister P. D. Kiselev, it was during this period that he was engaged in agricultural reforms in Russia. The emperor understood that the experience of holding exhibitions was very useful for the development of agriculture, and instructed the minister to disseminate exhibition experience throughout Russia. So subsequently, similar events began to be held, first in the Novorossiysk Territory, and then on.
For six years in 1843-1849, 23 such events were organized and carried out in various parts of the empire. During this time, 5 802 exhibits took part, 14 076 objects were presented, 1 918 participants won awards. Who took part in these exhibitions? Mostly, by order of local officials, state peasants. In 1849, the Ministry established six districts (each included 5-6 provinces), in which exhibitions began to be regularly held. In 1849, the All-Russian Agricultural and Handicraft Industrial Exhibition was organized. The experience gained made it possible to form such events and to develop not only the agricultural sector, but also artisanal, factory production.
Exhibition in St. Petersburg
In 1850, at the initiative of the Free Economic Society , an agricultural exhibition was organized in St. Petersburg. She passed in the current Central Exhibition Hall (previously the riding hall of the Life Guards Horse Regiment). Since then, expositions in St. Petersburg have often begun to use capacious capital buildings - playpens, exertsirgauz, palaces. The exposition presented about 3,000 exhibits from all over Russia. The decoration of the exhibition was entrusted to the architect Corsini. In the center there was a small gazebo similar to a rural temple. Decorated with sheaves, greenery, plants, flowers, agricultural equipment. For the first time, a folklore show was organized, for which peasants were invited in festive clothes of the Courland, Vyborg and Mogilev provinces. The exhibition interior was also decorated with tropical plants, an abundance of vegetables, fruits. A gallery was organized nearby, where for the first time an exhibition of heavy-horse horses was held.
Moscow exhibition
The Imperial Moscow Agricultural Society in 1846 organized the first exhibition in the arena. Then the agricultural exhibition of 1852 became a high-profile event in the life of the city. The most diverse sectors of society were involved. On the day the arena was visited by several thousand people. The building was decorated with flowers, ears, vegetables, fruits. Each visitor stopped in front of a huge map that depicted the European part of Russia. At this exhibition, for the first time, they began to equip the corners of regional exhibits, where exhibitors from different parts of the country presented their achievements. The “eastern tent” looked unusual, in front of which stood two mannequins in national costumes: a highlander and a Caucasian woman. Presented here were departments for gardeners, sericulture. For the first time, foreign guests were invited, who showed American reaping machines.
History of VDNH
In the place where the Ostankino swamps were, in 1934 the NKVD officers dispersed the gypsy camp, and four years later one of the most popular places among the capital’s guests appeared here - an agricultural exhibition at VDNKh. According to statistics, each of the eight inhabitants of the planet has been here. The history of creation began at the II All-Union Congress of Collective Farmers. Delegates appealed to the Communist Party, and by order of the authorities, the Main Exhibition Committee was organized.
The best ones were selected for participation in the All-Union Exhibition. For the years 1937-1938, state farms, collective farms, MTS were to present certain high indicators, the organizers and advanced workers of production - for 1938. It was thanks to this condition that there were a huge number of exhibitors at the exhibition.
The popularity of the agricultural exhibition in the USSR
The popularity among the population of the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy has become simply enormous. 250 thousand exhibitors have applied for the right to participate in it. The exhibition committee has set high awards for the winners. It was planned to present one thousand diplomas of the first degree and four thousand diplomas of the second degree. Laureates of diplomas of the first degree received a car and ten thousand rubles, the second - five thousand and a motorcycle. Three thousand large and small gold medals and eighteen thousand large and small silver medals were prepared for the advanced workers. The Book of Honor was also opened, in which each winning exhibitor and all his achievements were entered.
The construction of VDNH in those years became the most global project that made a significant contribution to Moscow architecture. The exhibition city occupied 136 hectares of area, including parks, ponds, 250 buildings.
The first agricultural exhibition in Russia, the date of which was in the middle of the XIX century, of course, could not be compared with this global project, with this power being built in the XX century.
Opening of VDNH
The exhibition city was preparing for the opening of the entire Soviet people. The best of the best masters worked here. Architects Geilfrech, Schuko, Chechulin, Polyakov, sculptures and monumental artists Motovilov, Konenkov, Tambourines, Deineka and others. More than two thousand professionals were headed by the architect Chernyshev.
The opening event took place on August 1, 1939. The leaders of the Soviet state were present. All arrivals were met by the famous sculpture of Mukhina “Worker and Collective Farm Girl”. The emblem of the exhibition was the no less famous composition of the collective farmer and tractor driver, holding a sheaf of golden ears over their heads. The figure towered on the 50-meter tower of the Main Pavilion of the exhibition. The main pavilion of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition was decorated with the arms of all national republics. Before entering the pavilion, a huge area of collective farms extended. There were pavilions in a circle, where all the republics, territories, and regions were separately represented. Each building was characterized by originality, traditions of peoples of one or another nationality. After a walk through the pavilions, there was a feeling of traveling throughout the vast country: from the northern latitudes to the tropics, from the Baltic to the Far East. Our country was so vast, where everyone was proud of their belonging to it.