The International Exposition of 1889, organized by the French government to mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, featured a competition to create a suitable monument. Out of more than 100 ideas submitted, the Centennial Committee selected the design by the renowned bridge engineer Gustave Eiffel.
History of Eiffel Tower in Paris, France
The most visited tourist destination in Paris has reached the city’s skies for 127 years. It wasn’t supposed to last, even if it is currently a symbol of France. Without question, the 1889 Universal Exposition was a turning moment in the history of the Eiffel Tower. A competition to “construct on the Champ-de-Mars an iron tower with 125 meters wide and 300 meters high and a square base, ” was held to mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. Gustave Eiffel’s proposal was picked from among the 107 others that were made. Stephen Sauvestre, an architect, and engineers Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier stood at his side.
Who Designed the Eiffel Tower?
The Eiffel Tower was created by engineer Maurice Koechlin, a member of Gustave Eiffel’s staff. Eiffel actually deemed Koechlin’s initial sketches to be too sparse and asked for a bit more pizzazz. Eiffel began selling his company’s masterpiece in 1884 after approving Koechlin’s final design.
Gustave Eiffel
Gustave Eiffel, full name Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, was a French civil engineer best known for the tower in Paris that bears his name. He was born on December 15, 1832, in Dijon, France, and died in Paris on December 28, 1923.
When he graduated from the College of Art and Manufacturing in 1855, Eiffel focused on metal building, particularly bridges. He oversaw the construction of various iron bridges, including the high, arched Gallery of Machines for the 1867 Paris Exposition. In 1858, he oversaw the construction of an iron bridge at Bordeaux.
The 540-foot span Garabit viaduct over the Truyère River in southern France, which was the highest bridge in the world for many years, stands 400 feet (120 m) above the stream. He first crossed the Douro River in Oporto, Portugal, in 1877 with a 525-foot steel arch.
With the construction of the Eiffel Tower (1887–1899), Eiffel stunned the world, earning him the moniker “magician of iron.” It also piqued his interest in aerodynamics-related issues, and he conducted some experiments using the tower.
A Hidden Apartment on top of the Eiffel Tower
The building’s architect, Gustave Eiffel, constructed a compact apartment for himself on the top floor. The lofty retreat included a grand piano, luxurious rugs, and oil paintings. A select group of VIPs, including Thomas Edison, a famous scientist, were permitted to attend. Few were aware of the 950-foot-high pad until it was opened to the public in 2015, after it had been abandoned after Eiffel’s death in the 1920s.
How a temporary building turned into a French symbol?
When the project was first conceived, it had been decided that the Tower’s construction licensing rights would expire in 20 years, at which point it would be immediately demolished. However, during the Universal Exposition, the Tower saw two million visitors. After this amazing achievement, the structure became a representation of French industrial might. The Tower enjoyed the same level of success at the 1900 Universal Exposition.
Gustave Eiffel went to considerable lengths to demonstrate the Tower’s scientific value in an effort to stop its destruction. Astronomical and physiological research was done, but ultimately, the Tower’s usage as a radio antenna tower, first for military communications and then for long-distance radiotelegraphy communications, was what would save it; The Tower did, in fact, fulfill a variety of functions during the First World War. The history of France includes the Eiffel Tower.
The Power of the Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a well-known landmark in Paris, France. It is among the most recognizable structures in the world and was finished in March 1889. Additionally, the location, popularly known as the Iron Lady, welcomes almost 7 million visitors each year. The tower, however, conceals some enormous secrets despite its notoriety. Learn more about this Parisian must-see.
Some information and facts about Eiffel Tower
- The Statue of Liberty’s internal frame was also built by Eiffel.
- In 1889, the Eiffel Tower’s construction cost 7,799,401.31 French gold francs, or almost $1.5 million.
- Up to the 1930 construction of the Chrysler Building in New York, it was the highest building in the world.
- With the antenna at the top, the Eiffel Tower rises 1,063 feet (324 meters) above the ground. The antenna-free length is 984 feet (300 m).
- Although the tower was designed to move slightly in the wind, the sun has a greater impact. The top of the tower rises up to 7 inches (18 cm) away from the sun when the side that faces it heats up.
- The tower additionally expands by about 6 inches due to the sun.
- Weight: 10,000 tons for the Eiffel Tower.
- The Eiffel Tower has 5 billion lights.
- The tower is known as La Dame de Fer, or “the Iron Lady,” in French.
- The first platform is 190 feet above ground level, the second is 376 feet above it, and the third is almost 900 feet above it.
- There are 1,710 steps in the 108 levels of the Eiffel Tower. To get to the first platform, tourists must climb stairs. Two elevators are available.
- The annual mileage of one elevator is 64,001 miles (103,000 kilometers).
