The Gallery of Machines

Interior view of the machine hall during preparation.

Construction

Foundation pile for the Galerie des Machines(Photo by Pierre Petit)

It was on December 21, 1887, that the masonry work for the main piers of the Palais des Machines was completed. The first excavation had begun on July 15, 1887. In six months, this considerable work on the foundations was completed. There was a moment when it was feared that the frosts would interrupt the masonry work, which could have delayed the erection of the roofs; however, all fears have now disappeared. The last excavations have been filled in, and this part of the Champ de Mars, which had been so disturbed, has now returned to its original appearance. When one passes through this construction site, where the carpenters have just set up the scaffolding, nothing indicates, at first glance, the considerable scale of the work being carried out underground; we did not want it to disappear under the rubble without providing an example. Our photograph therefore shows one of the large piers or abutments, made of masonry, which are intended to support the cast iron shoes from which the 115-meter-span iron arches will emerge, forming the giant skeleton of the Palais. This skeleton, consisting of twenty large roofs, requires forty support points, twenty on each side.

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various industrial galleries, and twenty on the side of the Military School.

Official Weekly Bulletin, Number 60, of the 1889 Exposition, Saturday, January 7, 1888.

The construction of the Palais des Machines is in full swing. From all sides, the individual components that will make up the large 110-meter structures are being assembled and connected. We know that the construction of the twenty large structures has been divided into two phases: one, on the side of Avenue de La Bourdonnais, is the responsibility of the Fives-Lille company; the other, on the side of Avenue de Suffren, is the responsibility of the Cail company. The two companies use completely different methods to lift the structures.

Scaffolding for the installation of roof trusses in the Machine Gallery(Photo by Pierre Petit)

The Compagnie de rives-Lille will use large metal structures assembled on-site, while the Compagnie Cail will operate using smaller fragments assembled in their final positions. The illustrations will give our readers an idea of the three enormous scaffolding structures of the Palais des Machines; the central pylon is over 60 meters high, approximately the height of the towers of Notre-Dame.
On either side of the scaffolding, the foundations for the farm buildings are already in place; between the scaffolding, on the ground, one can see the enormous metal pieces that will be raised to 50 meters and will rest on the sloping roof, in the form of large steps, and will be connected to the vertical sections. These pieces, which appear colossal when lying on the ground, will appear light when 50 meters high. In about fifteen days, the first farm building will be erected; the three scaffolding will then be moved on rollers, as, despite their considerable dimensions, these enormous structures can be moved without much effort, making way for each raised building; there are ten farm buildings for Fives-Lille, and the other ten, on the Grenelle side, are the work of the Cali company, which will use single-piece scaffolding for the assembly.

Official Weekly Bulletin, Number 73, of the 1889 Exposition, dated Saturday, April 7, 1888.

Lighting design

Interior view of the Gallery of Machines

The Saturday evening event will be remembered as a highlight of the Exposition; the opening of the main galleries in the evening, illuminated by electric lights, was eagerly awaited. This inauguration was a resounding success; the only dissenting voice came from those who wished to admire the central dome, the 30-meter gallery, and the Machinery Gallery.

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It's magnificent! It's superb! It's fairy-tale-like! All we heard were exclamations like that. The fact is that the spectacle far exceeds anything one could imagine: the Palais des Machines, in particular, with its imposing nave and magnificent stained-glass windows, seems even more vast due to the sparkling effect of the thousand lights that illuminate it. A hundred or so arched voltaic structures, arranged along all the passages, and four chandeliers with twelve arches, spaced along the length of the central passage, cast an unparalleled glow on all the details of the powerful iron framework of the Palais; at the center, the rotating lighthouse, with its rays alternating between the moving machines, the colossal wheels, the agile looms, and the frightening active machinery, further enhances the magic of this general illumination. The success of the electrical lighting of the Palais des Machines has exceeded all expectations. It is a unprecedented success, well deserving of the efforts made to achieve it, and quickly dispels the few days of delay that led to such a beautiful result. Therefore, the doors of the Exhibition are fully open every evening, with two large doors; in about fifteen days, the galleries of various industries and the foreign sections will also be illuminated with electric light, and everyone will want to see this unique exhibition of an enchanted palace, larger than an entire city.

Generators and prime movers

Les générateurs de vapeur s'étendent sur un rectangle de 30meters in width and850Length of approximately 100 meters, parallel to the military academy, between the Palais des Machines and Lamotte-Piquet Avenue.

Plan of the Machine Palace

They must evaporate49.600Minimum of 1 liter of water per minute, and provide5.500steam horses
Do we want figures that allow us to assess the value of this simple piece of information? Here are some:

A l'Exposition de 1855, la première où il fut donne de voir des machines en mouvement, la force motrice était de 330horses
A l'Exposition de 1867, elle était de 625horses
A l'Exposition de 1878, de 2,500.

The driving engines are provided by thirty-two exhibitors, for a total of thirty-one. Steam is provided free of charge to the owners of these engines.
The agreement stipulates that the machines can generate a power equivalent to 2,360 horsepower; an additional 235 horsepower is provided under certain conditions, bringing the total available power on the Palais des Machines' turbines to approximately 2,600 horsepower.
Therefore, the maximum power that the thirty-two machines could potentially develop is greater than that for which they were originally designed, since, as we have previously stated, they could be called upon to produce five thousand five hundred horsepower.
The primary transmission of motion includesfour rows of treesranging from one end of the Palais des Machines to the other, with a total length of1.359 meters 56 centimeters.
In addition to this main transmission, we installed smaller, secondary transmissions in various sections of the gallery.

Georges Robert

Official Bulletin, Number 8, of the 1889 Exposition, dated Tuesday, May 21, 1889.

The staircase

The wrought iron staircase of the machine hall entrance

The art of working with iron and maximizing its potential for architectural decoration has found diverse applications in the various palaces of the Universal Exposition.
In addition to the very interesting adjustments to the wrought iron elements that form the structural framework of the buildings, there are numerous examples of this ancient and still beautiful art of wrought iron.
Mr. Dutert, the architect of the Palais des Machines, also wanted to give the entrance to the monument, in the magnificent and graceful vestibule that follows the 30-meter gallery, an example of this art, which can be considered a precursor to large metal constructions.
It is the beautiful staircase that leads to the first floor of the palace, in which he has given full rein to his artistic imagination.
The ramp, a masterpiece of wrought iron craftsmanship, was created by Mr. Maison, a builder from Riceys (Aube), and consists of a series of panels applied to the staircase landing. These panels consist of large, ornate wrought iron branches with bronze floral and decorative elements; the upright panels of the landing feature bronze cartridges. One particularly noteworthy feature of this beautiful work is the starting point of the staircase landing.
The coils of the iron rods all emerge from a central support that holds a very ornate emblem, and then spread out into a kind of metallic flower on the pillars of the electric chandeliers.
Despite the difficulty of the work, the execution is of the highest quality and perfectly reflects the style of the palace it decorates, and its scale and flawless execution make it a masterpiece that honors the 133th class to which it belongs.

Authors

Mr. Dutert

Mr. Contamin

We are reproducing the portraits of Messrs. Dutert and Contamin, the winners of the Osiris Prize, the authors of the Palais des Machines.
The public opinion, which is often characterized by its common sense, has brought together the names Dutert and Contamin, Contamin and Dutert, when admiring this wonderful ship.
She didn't want to determine the specific contribution of each individual; she believed that their combined efforts, knowledge, high standards, and patience were the only factors that could have achieved such an extraordinary feat.
The architect could not do without the engineer, and the engineer could not do without the architect. This partnership between two outstanding individuals, under the guidance of a master like Mr. Alphand, resulted in the creation of the Palais des Machines.
I would like to conclude here, but the curiosity aroused by our great Exhibition has prompted us to learn the anecdotal history of all these wonders.
I don't believe I am revealing confidential information by saying that Mr. Dutert had proposed a plan in which a series of farms occupied the space of the main nave, but that, upon studying these plans, he came up with the idea of removing these farms and replacing them with a single farm; the idea was ingenious, it was bold, and even audacious. Mr. Contamin, who had directed all the metal constructions with such authority, was captivated by this project of a 110-meter span farm; his concern was that the expenses would not be excessive.

Ground floor of the Gallery of Machines (before the display cases were installed)

Mr. Alphand, who is well acquainted with the Champ de Mars and, in particular, the ground conditions required for previous exhibitions, feared that with multiple farms, the foundations would be too complex in this soil, which had been repeatedly disturbed. He saw a significant advantage in a single farm, which would greatly simplify the foundation work.
The large ship won all the support, and it was certain that with men like Messrs. Dutert and Contamin, these projects, which had been outlined on paper, would become a reality.
At that time, I had the opportunity to work in the offices of Mr. Dutert and Mr. Contamin. I don't believe that the public is fully aware of the extent of the work required to build the Palais des Machines. Mr. Dutert was very passionate about creating his plans, while Mr. Contamin, with the collaboration of J. Charton and Pierrot, studied day and night to find solutions to one of the most difficult and complex problems.
I must admit that I admired the patience of these two men, who worked with unwavering determination, concealing their concerns from everyone and not being discouraged by difficulties. They also avoided boasting about their efforts, and instead, exemplified a rare combination of modesty and selflessness.
They didn't make a fuss about their project; they didn't inform the public of their hopes, and they came to our office every day to continue their studies, which were only interrupted by fatigue. When we completed the first building of the Palais des Machines on the Champ de Mars, the public was hardly aware that one of the most beautiful problems had been solved.

The foundations of the Machines Gallery

But we were there, the faithful who witnessed its birth; and I will never forget the emotion we felt when we saw the colossal metal arch rise into the air. We couldn't believe it could stand, and when we saw a small black dot, which was a worker, on the curve, we were filled with respectful concern for the modest worker whose skill and daring the whole world would later admire; and when the Palais des Machines was completed, it was a cry of triumph among those who had, from the beginning, never ceased to express their confidence in French genius.

Gustave Simon

Official Bulletin No. 163 of the 1889 Exposition, Saturday, October 26, 1889.

Some figures

Entrance to the Gallery of Machines

Height	48,324 meters
Width	115 meters
Length	420 meters
Engine	32 machines
Surface	approximately 8 hectares
Maximum power that can be generated by the motors	5,500 horsepower steam engines