History

Formal exhibition culture in Bologna began in 1888 with the “Great Emilian Exhibition” in the Margherita Gardens, inaugurated by King Umberto I, Queen Margherita of Savoy, and Prime Minister Francesco Crispi. The first dedicated Bologna exhibition followed in 1901 at the EDEN Kursal premises on Via Indipendenza.

Planning for a permanent fairground commenced in the 1950s. Architects Leonardo Benevolo, Tommaso Giura Longo, and Carlo Melograni won the design competition. Construction began in 1964 with the cornerstone laying; the following year, the 29th Bologna Trade Fair inaugurated in its new permanent home—the first fair held at the fixed location.

Expansion accelerated through subsequent decades. Japanese architect Kenzō Tange designed major additions in 1972, including the Fiera District office complex with skyscrapers reaching up to 80 meters (completed 2011). From the 2000s onward, Pierluigi Cerri and Di Gregorio Associati directed further modernization, adding pavilions and covered spaces between 2004 and 2008.