The Old Trade Fair (Alte Messe)
The history of the Old Trade Fair began in May 1913 with the International Architecture Exhibition. The opening of the exhibition took place in the presence of the King of Saxony. By 1928, there were seventeen halls, with a total of 130,000 m2 (1,399,308 sq. ft.) of exhibition space. By 1988, another eight halls had been added. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Leipzig Trade Fair was the most important trade fair in the world and was granted the title "World Trade Fair". In 1996, the trade fair moved to the new exhibition site on the outskirts of Leipzig (Messegelände).
These days, an increasing number of businesses, service providers and research institutes are taking up residence on the grounds of the Old Trade Fair. A variety of shops and an indoor football (soccer) hall can also be found there.
Worth visiting
Halle 12
Built in 1923, the facade and interior were renovated between 1950 and 1952 in the style of 1930s Moscow architecture, transforming it into a Soviet pavilion with its distinctive tower.
Halle 16
The "Kreis'scher Dome" is the oldest hall on the grounds; it opened in 1913. These days, Halle 16 is used as an events venue and can be booked for private events.
The "Double M"
The logo of the Leipzig Trade Fair is the "Double M", which stands for "Muster Messe" ("Samples Trade Fair"). It was built in 1965 and is a listed historic monument. It marks one of the four main entrances to the Old Trade Fair.