History - Expo1937 Paris - Baltic States Pavilion: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania

Three Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are participating in the 1937 Paris Expo in a joint pavilion that symbolizes friendship and reconciliation.

This is an Estonian architect, Mr A. Nürnberg, which must draft Pavilion adopted after a competition of architects took part in the three countries.

Pavilion of Baltic states.

The Pavilion is located on a slope of the Trocadero Gardens side of the Passy wing of the new Palais. A 16 meters wide stone staircase leads theough two terraces, to the main entrance of the Pavilion; it consists of a glass wall jack in a steel frame 14 meters wide and 9m50 tall, with three doors also glass, above which are the three national symbols of the participating countries.

Girls in national costume.

In a large hall dedicated to the assembly and the Union of Three States, decorated with a monumental sculpture of 4m50 high, due to the Latvian sculptor Kaņeps, leaving three passages leading to the particular rooms Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

The first room on the right is dedicated to Estonia. Leopards stylized reminder of the arms of the Estonian state. The silver walls and decorated with black and blue detail, indicate the national colors of the country.
At the foot of the walls are arranged various objects of national art: carpets, ceramics, leather works, textiles, paintings, etc. The wall adjacent to the hall is devoted to demonstrate the operation of the coal shale plays an important role in the Estonian economy.

The room dedicated to Latvia shows a beautiful red and white walls flooring: national colors of that State. It contains many specimens of the Latvian folk art.

Lithuanian room is adorned by a large wooden sculpture placed in the community and representing Christ carved from a huge oak. This is a precious relic of Lithuanian national art. This art work was performed according to a model of the Lithuanian artist K. Mikenas by an old peasant specialist religious figures comply with the immemorial traditions.

Pavilion architect : M. Nürnberg
French collaborator : René Rotter