The first Jaarbeurs fair in 1917. View of the Vredenburg in Utrecht with the sample rooms during the First Fair.

Het Utrechts Archief

The Jaarbeurs

Jaarbeursplein

The Jaarbeurs hosts several large-scale (corporate) events and exhibitions. The first Utrecht Jaarbeurs was held in 1917. Its establishment was related to the First World War. Because of the war, there was a sharp decline in international trade in the Netherlands. Goods that could no longer be imported now had to be produced in the Netherlands. The increase in domestic trade created a demand for a central point where traders could meet. As a result, the Jaarbeurs was created.