The Olympia London

While staying at one of our hotels near Earls Court London or looking for some attractions near Lancaster Gate, a must see London landmark, is the Olympia London.

Olympia is located in West Kensington, London; it is an event space, exhibition and conference centre. First opened in 1886 as the National Agricultural Hall, it was built by Andrew Handyside and Company of Derby. Covering an area of 4 acres, and the Grand Hall is 450 feet in length, it is said to be the largest building in the United Kingdom covered by one span of iron and glass. The Olympia now features four event venues and a conference centre. The four event venues are Olympia Grand, Olympia National, Olympia Central, and the Olympia West.

The Olympia’s story really began in 1884. John Whitley created the National Agricultural Hall Company with the aim of building and operating as the country’s largest covered show centre. The hall soon changed its name to the Olympia, but still kept with John Whitley’s vision. Henry Edward designed the building after designing the Agricultural Hall in Islington just 25 years before he took on the Olympia. With seating for over 9000 people and stretching over an acre in size, the arena became the largest roof arena in England. The roof on the arena had to be high and the structure incredibly strong. Made with cast iron columns with a ball and socket bearing, not even the hurricane of 1987 could blow the Olympia down. The roof of the hall was erected in 1885 with over 2500 sheets of quarter inch plate glass. The glass has only been replaced once in 1991 with a sealed heat treated solar reflective system. Now where the management offices and meeting rooms stand today, “The Prince’s Apartments,” were once rumoured to be built for Edward, Prince of Wales for his many liaisons. Before becoming King Edward VII in 1901, he had a notorious eye for the ladies and would use this room to entertain them.

On December 26th, 1886, the Olympia opened its doors to the public. The management of the venue expected the Royal Tournament to move from the Agricultural Hall to the Olympia. However, this did not happen which put the Olympia in a financial bind. To add income, they broke a deal with the Paris winter venue of the Hippodrome Circus venue. While it was closed for repairs, the Olympia would serve as their venue. Unfortunately, even after the Hippodrome event, the National Agricultural Hall Company was still in a financial crisis. Following the Hippodrome event, in 1887 there was the Sportsman’s Exhibition, an Exhibition of Sporting Dogs, a national gymnastic meeting, and a horse show. In 1888 the events included the First Great Horse Show and a Kennel Club dog show, both which are frequent exhibits at the venue today. From 1889-1990, the “Greatest Show on Earth,” Phineas T.Barnum’s circus came to Olympia from New York. The first Ideal Home Show was put on in 1908 and in 1914, the international heavyweight boxing match between France’s Georges Carpentier and America’s Gunboat Smith was staged at the Olympia, selling over $90,000 in tickets.

Unfortunately, with the start of World War I, the Olympia was used as civil prison camp for German nationals and other potential hostile aliens and from 1915 onwards, the hall spend the rest of the war housing an army clothing store. By the late 1920s, the Olympia had built a stable list of annual regulars on their exhibitions calendar. In 1923, the New Hall was built, which is now known as the Olympia National. The architect, Joseph Emberton, who also went on to design the Empire Hall, in 1930, which today is known as the Olympia Central.

Looking into the future, to 1958, the First British Electronic Computer Exhibition was held in the National Hall. Olympia has always been in competition with Earls Court venue. When property tycoon Jeffrey Sterling bought Earls Court, he then bid £11.4 million for Olympia in 1973. Sterling bought the Olympia and due to his quick thinking during the oil crisis, the Olympia was turned into a successful London landmark. In 1983, the Empire Hall was launched as Olympia Two and in 1987, the Olympia Conference Centre was built with an auditorium and meeting rooms for over 450 delegates.

In the last 5 years, the Olympia has been completely transformed and increased in space. In 2011, the new West Hall was built with two floors and in 2012,Olympia London celebrated 125 years with specially commissioned works of art. The first artworks were by Rob Ryan, who highlighted the ornate barrel roof and referenced the first event to take place at Olympia, the Hippodrome Circus. The other artists were Peter Blake, SannaAnnukka, and Paul Hicks who each created their interpretations of the Olympia. In 2013, Olympia was renamed Olympia London and the venue was awarded the Best Marketing Campaign at the Exhibition New Awards 2014.

Over all the years, the shows in their countless variety from so many contributors continue to please the people who visit them each year and continue to make profit for the community. If you are looking for more attractions and historical landmarks in the city, check out Things to visit near Westbourne Terrace and The Great West Road, London.