Switzerland Exhibited in Geneva in 1896

In the 19th century, national exhibitions were major events organized in many Western countries. These occasions aimed to highlight national industrial, craft or artistic achievements in order to create a sense of common belonging and stimulate patriotism. The picturesque aspect was important: pavilions, shows and villages valorized regional motifs and costumes meant to represent national identity. In the context of the Swiss National Exhibition of 1896 organized in Geneva, an Amusement Park was created to entertain a wide public. There could be found not only a «Swiss village» staging a rural everyday existence supposed be traditional, but also several attractions evoking an exotic, remote world, such as the overhead railway called «Himalayas» or Javanese dance shows.