"Kermesse Orientale"
Object/Work Type
Colonial Exhibits
Title Text
"Kermesse Orientale"
Alternate Title Text
Kermesse orientale
Creation Date
1911
Descriptive Note Text
Like all World's Fairs, Turin 1911 featured an area devoted to the "Orient." It was named "Kermesse Orientale" (Oriental Festival) and situated in the Pilonetto area of Valentino Park, on the right bank of the river Po, next to Ponte Isabella. The Kermesse was divided into five neighborhoods. The first neighborhood included the Arab, Egyptian, Tunisian and Turkish villages. The second neighborhood included Madagascar, Senegal, and Congo. The third displayed the Native American Village. The fourth included Japan and India. The fifth neighborhood included China and Indochina. According to contemporary magazines, the Kermesse also included a harem, a Muslim School, and a Mosque. Fairgoers could ride camels and enjoy beyydancer spectacles. For a small fee, they could engage with fortune tellers and palm readers.
Code in the 1911 Map
SIM 80
General Subject Terms
