1st contest
Eurovision 1956
The 1956 Eurovision Song Contest, the 1st edition, was held in Lugano, Switzerland and was won by Switzerland — Lys Assia with “Refrain”.
The first contest. Seven countries, two songs each, and only the winner was announced — no other placings were ever published.
The facts
- Host country
- Switzerland
- Host city
- Lugano
- Winner
- Switzerland
- Artist
- Lys Assia
- Song
- “Refrain”
This was Switzerland’s 1st Eurovision win — not their last. Their full record
Compiled from the public record of the contest. Years, hosts, winners, songs and performers are stated; participant counts and pre-2000 venues are left blank rather than estimated, and will be filled in as each is checked against a primary source. This is a different standard from the two-independent-sources bar that a 2027 confirmation has to clear, and it is held to a lower one — spotted an error? It is worth telling us about.
Not affiliated with the EBU. “Eurovision Song Contest” is a trademark of the European Broadcasting Union.