Eiffel Tower
(En Français) – In 1889, when the Tour Eiffel was completed, it was the tallest building in the world at just over 300 meters tall. The Eiffel Tower was originally built as a temporary structure to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution. Thankfully, the tower was never torn down and since, the Eiffel Tower has become an enduring symbol of the city of Paris.
History:
The tower was originally built for the 1889 World’s Fair exposition. It’s steel construction defied all traditional rules of architecture, and was considered quite bold at the time. Today the tower is the main television transmitter for the city of Paris.
The tower design was selected by a competition in which Gustave Eiffel won. Eiffel was an engineer who had lots of experience constructing high level railway viaducts. In the public eye, the tower had many mixed opinions, celebrated and loathed in equal measure. Throughout its construction, the residents became convinced that it would collapse, and Eiffel had to reassure them many times quite often in person. The author Guy de Maupassant left Paris permanently to avoid looking at its ‘metallic carcass’ but others championed the tower: Seurat and Douanier Rousseau were among the first to paint it, in 1889 and 1890 respectively. On a clear day, it is possible to see Chartres Cathedral from the highest level viewing platform.
Paris’s most recognized landmark has three floors. The first is at 57m, the second at 115m, and the third at 276m. The top of the aerial is 320m above the ground.
The 12,000 steel girders that make up the tower are held together by 2,500,000 rivets that produce it’s smooth, curving profile. It’s functional elegance heralded the dawn of Industrial Art.
