Bauma, Construction and mining trade fair at Neue Messe München, Germany

Bauma is the world's largest trade fair, held every three years on the grounds of the Neue Messe München in Munich-Riem. Long halls with light grey ridged roofs line a curving tree-lined road, while the open-air area holds cranes, lattice booms and construction machines such as excavators, with red, yellow and white masts rising above the displays.

The fair began in 1954 as the spring show for construction machinery on Munich's Theresienhöhe, with 58 exhibitors on 20,000 m² and about 8,000 visitors. After a stop at Oberwiesenfeld in 1962, it returned to Theresienhöhe in 1967, the year Messe München acquired the rights. It has been held every three years since 1977 and moved to the new grounds in Riem in 1998.

The fair brings together professionals who share knowledge about construction methods and industry solutions. Visitors can observe how companies present their latest approaches to building and mining challenges.

The site is large and divided into different zones, so planning your visit in advance helps. Wear comfortable shoes, as you will walk through areas with specialized machinery and technologies.

The event is one of few large gatherings where you can observe current mining technology up close. Many visitors come for the lesser-publicized innovations in material processing methods.