The Exposition's Public Figures

Main Political Authorities  [SHOW]
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  • Italian Political Authorities:
  • King Vittorio Emanuele III of Savoy
  • Queen Elena of Savoy, Princess of Montenegro
  • The mayor of Turin, On. Teofilo Rossi
  • The mayor of Rome, On. Ernesto Nathan
  • The Prime Minister, On. Giovanni Giolitti
  • Minister of Public Works, Ettore Sacchi
  • Minister of Agricolture, Industry and Commerce, Francesco Saverio Nitti
  • Minister of Communications, Post and Telegraph Teobaldo, Calissano
  • Minister of Financial Affairs, Luigi Facta
  • Minister of War, Paolo Spingardi
  • Minister of Royal Navy, Boggiani
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  • Foreign Political Authorities:
Noteworthy Guests  [SHOW]
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  • Italian Noteworthy Guests:
  • Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy-Aosta, Duke of Aosta
  • Prince Luigi Amedeo of Savoy-Aosta, Duke of the Abruzzi
  • Prince Tommaso Alberto of Savoy Genoa, Duke of Genoa
  • Princess Isabella of Baverie, Dukess of Genoa
  • Princess Laetitia Bonaparte, Dukess of Salemi
  • Vittorio Emanuele Maria of Savoy, Count of Turin
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  • Foreign Noteworthy Guests:
Industrialists and entrepreneurs  [SHOW]

In the words of the President of the General Committee, Senator Secondo Frola, the International Fair of Turin 1911 was intended to be the symbol, the summa, the maximum achievement of the economic renewal of the city of Turin - and of the young Italian Kingdom - at the beginning of the Twentieth century (“Parla il senatore Secondo Frola”, La Stampa, year XLV, no 116. Turin: April 30, 1911). Moreover, as celebrative event of the 50th anniversary of the unification of Italy, it marked a crucial step in the history of the nation, and its political / economic relationships with the other countries.

Evidence of this historical relevance is represented by more than 7,409,145 visitors (around 70,000 only the first day): national and international authorities, managers, businessmen, journalists, artists, women, and passerbys all joined the event and participated to the temporary "Bianca Valentina” on the river Po. Among them, renowned public figures – that we conventionally divided into “Main Political Authorities” and “Noteworthy Guests” - amplified the magnetic effect that the event was generating.

Ieri mattina, al suo risveglio, la città è stata percorsa tutta da un brivido dì gaiezza 'festosa; ed ha visto all'improvviso popòlarsi i suoi corsi, le sue piazze, i suoi portici d'una innumerevole folla variopinta, che la riempì tutta, come per incanto, al primo raggio di sole, quasi si fosse data convegno silenziosamente, nell'ombra notturna, per essere pronta, all'alba, ad irrompere in istrada in una manifestazione d'alllegrezza universale.

According to the front-page articles “Dinnanzi al Palazzo delle Feste” (in front of the Palace of Festivals) and “Nel Salone” (in the Great Hall) of the local newspaper La Stampa (April, 30 1911), the Inaguration Day - started at 8am in April 29 - was astonishing: a great number of visitors, beautiful and rich decorations of the streets of Turin, multicolor Italian flags, and magnificence in every detail. The members of the General and Executive Committees of the Fair, led by senators Tommaso Villa and Secondo Frola, received the “Ospiti Augusti” (literally noteworthy guests) at the Pavilion of Festivals and Concerts, and reunited them in the Baroque style Great Hall. After the passage of the Italian Royal March, and of Military and Political delegations, the Committees welcomed the members of the foreign diplomatic group, including:

Barrère (France), sir Dering (England), baron Gousukè Hayashi (Japan), Prince Dolgorouky (Russia), De Iagow (Germany), Leishman (United States), De Meroy de Kaposnière (Dual Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.), Hussein Kiazinbey (Turkey), Ou-Loug-Tsu (China), De Olaneta de Valdeterazo (Spain), Van Den Steen (Belgium), Carapanos (Grece), Don Esteva (Mexico), baron De Tann-Rathsamhausen (Bavaria), general Andrès Caceres (Perù), count de Maleville (Principauté de Monaco), doctor Michel Vouitch (Serbia), G. B. Pioda (Switzerland), Guerrero (Republic of Salvador), don Rafael Monteallegre (Costa Rica), Acevedo Diaz and Pequefla Bermudez (Uruguay), Grevenkop-Castenskiodl (Denmark), former minister of foreign affairs Portela (Argentina), don Hurtado (Columbia), prince Bovaradej (Siam), Santiago Aduinate (Chile), De Bidlt (Sweden), Crisanto Medina (Nicaragua), von Ditten (Norway), De Weede (Holland), Fialho (Brazil), Rizoff (Bulgaria), general Khan Mofakham (Persia), and Salinas Vega (Bolivia).