The Eiffel Tower is the most famous tower in the world, named after its creator, Gustave Alexandre Eiffel. It was built in 1889 in Paris. Its height exceeds 300 meters. There are few people in the world who cannot recognize the characteristic design of this building. For the French, this tower became a national symbol.
Over the entire history of the Eiffel Tower, about 240 million people visited it, making it a leader among tourist attractions. The tower was originally planned as a temporary structure, as an entrance arch to the Paris World Exhibition, which took place in 1889. After 20 years, the tower was going to be dismantled, however, the presence of radio communication antennas installed on its top played a decisive role in its fate, and it has survived to this day.
In addition to Eiffel, the engineers Maurice Queclin, Emile Nougier, and the architect Stéphane Sauvestre took part in the design of the Eiffel Tower. It was their project that was chosen as the winner among 700 competitive entries. During the construction of the tower, a lot of innovations and innovations were used. Thus, for the first time, studies were carried out on the properties and strata of soils, caissons and compressed air were used to build the foundation for the tower, jacks weighing 800 tons were used to adjust the angles of inclination and position of the tower, and special high-rise cranes were used during installation. The construction of the tower also prompted the creation of new equipment and technology.
However, the Eiffel Tower took just over two years to build. It took the builders about a year and a half to lay the foundation, and another 8 months to assemble the structure itself. The tower consists of eighteen thousand metal parts, which are connected to each other by 2.5 million rivets.
The tower is also famous for the fact that for the first time in the construction of high-rise structures, metal was used in large quantities. The height of the tower, including the spire, was 313 meters, and it was the tallest structure until 1931. And in 1957, a television tower was installed on top of the tower, thus increasing its height to 320 meters!
If we connect the supports of the Eiffel Tower with lines, we get a square with a side of 123 meters. The lower tier of the building has the shape of a truncated pyramid, and the lattice structures of the supports form four large and beautiful arches.
The internal structure of the tower is divided into several “floors”: platforms and platforms. The lowest platform is at an altitude of 58 meters, the second rises above the ground by 115 meters. Afterwards there are intermediate platforms, their height is 196 and 276 meters above the ground, and above them at an altitude of 300 meters the 3rd platform is already located.
Currently, the height of the Eiffel Tower reaches 326 meters. At its top there is a viewing terrace, so beloved by tourists, which allows you to explore the surrounding area within a radius of 90 km. The uppermost platform of the tower is small, just over one and a half meters in diameter, and is used to service the lighthouse installed on it.
Over the more than century-long history of the Eiffel Tower's creation, people have used it for various purposes. It was an observatory, a physical laboratory, and a wireless telegraph. With the development of radio and television, antennas were installed on it to broadcast programs. You can get to the 3rd tier in different ways: by elevator or on foot, counting 1710 steps.
The tower is made very stable and rigid. Even very strong winds shake its top only 10-12 cm. But the sun has a stronger influence on the Eiffel Tower. Due to uneven heating, the top may deviate from its nominal position by 18 cm. Even the flood of 1910 did not affect the stability of the structure.
At the end of the 20th century, the Eiffel Tower was reconstructed. Old metal structures were replaced with new, stronger and lighter ones.
All about the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower ([` aɪfəl taʊər] EYE-fəl TOWR; French: Tour Eiffel) is a wrought iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.
Constructed in 1887-89 as the entrance to the 1889 World's Fair, the tower was initially criticized by some of France's leading artists and intellectuals, but it soon became a cultural symbol of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The Eiffel Tower is the most visited monument in the world; 6.91 million people climbed it in 2015.
The tower is 324 meters (1,063 ft) tall, approximately the same as an 81-story building. It is the tallest building in Paris. Its base is a square, each side measuring 125 meters (410 feet). During construction, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to become the tallest man-made structure in the world. She held this title for 41 years until the Chrysler Building was completed in New York in 1930. With the addition of a broadcast antenna at the top of the tower in 1957, the Eiffel Tower again stood taller than the Chrysler Building by 5.2 meters (17 ft). Excluding transmitters, the Eiffel Tower is the second tallest structure in France after the Millau Viaduct.
The tower has three levels for visitors, with restaurants on the first and second levels. The highest platform is 276 meters (906 feet) above the ground - the highest observation deck in the European Union accessible to the public. Tickets can be purchased to take the stairs or elevator on the first and second levels. The rise from ground level to the first level is more than 300 steps, the same height from the first level to the second. Although there are stairs to the upper level, usually only an elevator is available.
History of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
The idea of creating the Eiffel Tower
The design of the Eiffel Tower was conceived by Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, two senior engineers working for the Compagnie des Établissements Eiffel, following a discussion about a suitable centerpiece for the 1889 Universal Exhibition to mark the centenary of the French Revolution. Eiffel openly admitted that he drew inspiration for the tower from the Latting Observatory building in New York in 1853. In May 1884, while working from home, Kochlin sketched his idea, which he described as "a large pylon consisting of four lattice beams that stand apart at the base and come together at the top, connected to each other by metal trusses at regular intervals." Eiffel initially showed little enthusiasm, but he approved further study, and the two engineers then asked Stephen Sourest, head of the company's architectural department, to provide input on the design. Sowrest added decorative arches to the base of the tower, a glass pavilion on the first level, and other decorations.
The new version received the support of Eiffel: he bought a patent for the design, which was received by Kochlin, Nougier and Sourest, after which the project was exhibited at an exhibition of decorative arts in the fall of 1884 under the company name. On March 30, 1885, Eiffel presented his plans to the Society of Civil Engineers; after discussing the technical problems, and emphasizing the practical significance of the tower, he ended his speech by saying that the tower would become a symbol
not only the art of modern engineering, but also a symbol of the age of industry and science in which we live, and the way for which was prepared by the great scientific movement of the eighteenth century and the revolution of 1789, in whose memory this monument will be built, as an expression of gratitude to France.
Little progress was made until 1886, when Jules Grévy was re-elected as President of France and Édouard Lockroy was appointed Minister of Trade. The budget for the Exhibition was approved, and on 1 May, Lockroy announced a change to the terms of the open competition, the focus of which was the central part of the Exhibition, which made the choice of Eiffel's design a foregone conclusion, since the data was to include a study of a 300 m (980 ft) tetrahedral metal tower on Field of Mars. On May 12, a commission was created to study the scheme of Eiffel and his rivals, which after a month decided that all proposals except Eiffel's were either impractical or lacked detail.
Who was against the construction of the Eiffel Tower?
The proposed tower was the subject of controversy, attracting criticism from those who did not believe it was feasible and those who objected on artistic grounds. These objections were an expression of a long-standing debate in France about the relationship between architecture and engineering. These thoughts began to emerge in people's minds when work began on the Champ de Mars: the "Committee of Three Hundred" (one member for every meter of tower height) was formed under the leadership of the famous architect Charles Garnier, as well as some of the most important figures of art, such as Adolphe Bouguereau , Guy de Maupassant, Charles Gounod and Massenet. A petition entitled "Artists against the Eiffel Tower" was sent to the Minister of Works and Commissioner for the Exhibition, Charles Alphand, and was published by Le Temps on February 14, 1887:
“We, writers, artists, sculptors, architects and passionate admirers of the hitherto untouched beauty of Paris, will test with all our might, with all our indignation, against the infringement of French taste, against the construction... of this useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower... so that our discontent will be reasoned, imagine for a moment an absurd tower reaching to the sky, which dominates Paris like a giant black chimney, and crushes Notre Dame, Tour Saint-Jacques, the Louvre, the Dome of the Invalides, the Arc de Triomphe with its barbaric mass. All our humiliated monuments will disappear. in this terrible dream. And for twenty years... we will see how the ink stain of the hated shadow from the hated column of dangling sheet metal stretches."
Gustave Eiffel responded to these criticisms by comparing his tower to Egyptian pyramids: “My tower will be the tallest structure ever erected by man. Why can’t it be equally grandiose? And why is it that what is delightful in Egypt becomes disgusting and ridiculous in Paris?” These criticisms were also addressed by Edouard Locroy in a letter of support written to Alphand, where he says with irony: “Judging from the majestic swell of rhythms, the beauty of metaphors, the elegance of a subtle and precise style, it can be said that this protest is the result of the collaboration of the most famous writers and poets of our time", and he explained that the protest had no significance, since the project had been decided several months earlier, and the construction of the tower had already been carried out in full swing.
Indeed, Garnier was a member of the Tower Commission that reviewed the various proposals, and had no objections. Eiffel was also unhappy that journalists were prematurely judging the effect of the tower solely on the basis of the drawings, that on the Champs Martius the tower would be far enough away from the monuments mentioned in the protest and there was no threat that the tower would overwhelm them, and made an aesthetic argument in favor of the tower: “Do not the laws of the forces of nature correspond to the secret laws of harmony?”
Some of the protesters changed their minds when the tower was built; others were not satisfied. Guy de Maupassant allegedly dined in the tower's restaurant every day because it was the only place in Paris where the tower was not visible.
By 1918, the Eiffel Tower became a symbol of Paris and France after Guillaume Apollinaire wrote a nationalist poem in the shape of the tower (caligram) to express his feelings regarding the war against Germany. Today the tower is widely considered to be a remarkable piece of structural art, and often appears in films and literature.
How was the Eiffel Tower built?
Work on the foundation began on January 28, 1887. The eastern and southern bases of the tower were simple, with each beam standing on a 2 m (6.6 ft) wide concrete slab. The western and northern foothills, being closer to the Seine River, were more complex: each slab required two piles, installed using compressed air caissons 15 m (49 ft) long and 6 m (20 ft) in diameter, driven to a depth of 22 m (72 ft) to support 6 m (20 ft) thick concrete slabs. Each of these slabs is supported by a block of limestone with a sloping top to support the support block of the iron structure.
Each leg of the Eiffel Tower was secured to the masonry using a pair of bolts 10 cm (4 in) in diameter and 7.5 m (25 ft) in length. The foundation was completed on June 30, after which construction of the metal structure began. Visible work on site has been supplemented a huge amount demanding preparatory work, which took place behind the scenes: the design office produced 1,700 general drawings and 3,629 detailed drawings, 18,038 different parts needed. The task of composing the components was complicated by the difficult angles designed by the designer and the degree of precision required: the position of the rivet holes was specified to within 0.1 mm (0.0039 in) and the angles were designed to one second of arc. The finished components (some of them already forged together into knots) arrived on horse-drawn carts from the plant in the Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret. At first they were fastened with bolts, which were replaced with rivets as the construction of the tower progressed. No drilling or milling was done on site: if a part didn't fit, it was sent back to the factory to be changed. A total of 18,038 parts were joined together using 2.5 million rivets.
The legs were initially cantilevered, but about halfway up the first level, construction was stopped to create a timber platform. This reopening raised concerns about the tower's structural integrity, as well as sensationalist tabloid headlines: "Eiffel Suicide!" and "Gustave Eiffel went mad: he was imprisoned in psychiatric hospital". At this stage, a small "crawling" crane was installed, designed to move up the tower in each leg. They used guides for the elevators, which were to be installed in four legs. The critical stage of connecting the legs on the first level was completed by late March 1888. Although the ironwork was prepared with great attention to detail, minor adjustments were later made to level the legs; hydraulic jacks, capable of exerting a force of 800 tons, were fitted to the beams at the base of each leg, and the legs. were deliberately built at a slightly steeper angle than necessary, supported by sandboxes on the platform. Although 300 workers were involved in the construction, only one person died, Eiffel developed strict safety measures, the use of movable ladders, handrails and screens.
Elevators in the Eiffel Tower
Equipping the tower with high-quality and safe passenger elevators was a serious issue for the government commission overseeing the Exposition. Although some visitors would have been able to ascend to the first level, and even the second, the main means of ascent would definitely have been elevators.
Construction of the elevators to reach the first level was relatively simple: the legs were wide enough at the bottom and straight enough to contain a straight path. The contract was awarded to the French company "Roux, Combaluzier & Lepape" for two elevators, which were installed in the east and west legs. "Roux, Combaluzier & Lepape" used a pair of endless chains with rigid, hinged links to which the machine was attached. Weight some of the chain links were balanced by the heavy weight of the machine. The machine was raised from the bottom up, rather than lowered from the top: to prevent the chain from losing stability, it was enclosed in a pipe. At the bottom of the run, the chains ran around the sprockets with a diameter of 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in). ) Smaller sprockets at the top controlled the chains.
Installing elevators leading to the second level was a more difficult task, since a direct route was not possible. No French company wanted to take on this work. The European branch of Otis Brothers & Company made a proposal, but this proposal was rejected: the rules of the fair excluded the use of any foreign materials in the construction of the tower. The deadline for bids was extended, but the French companies were slow to come forward, and the contract was eventually awarded to Otis in July 1887. Otis was confident that the contract would eventually be awarded to them and had already set about creating project.
The elevator was divided into two overlapping compartments, each to hold 25 passengers, with the elevator operator occupying the outer platform on the first level. Propulsion was provided by an inclined hydraulic rod 12.67 m (41 ft 7 in) long and 96.5 cm (38.0 in) in diameter, which was mounted in the foot of the tower with a 10.83 m (35 ft) stroke 6 inches): this required a wagon with six pulleys. Five fixed pulleys were mounted above the leg, creating a device similar to a block and tackle but acting in reverse, multiplying the stroke of the piston rather than the force produced. The hydraulic pressure in the control cylinder was produced by a large open reservoir on the second level. Once exhausted from the cylinder, the water was pumped back into a two-pump reservoir in the engine room at the base of the south leg. This reservoir also provided power to the first level lifts.
The original elevators for travel between the second and third levels were supplied by Leon Edux. A pair of 81-metre (266 ft) hydraulic rams were installed on the second level and extended almost halfway to the third level. One elevator machine was mounted on top of these cylinders, with cables running from the top to the pulleys on the third level and back down to the second machine. Each lift only covered half the distance between the second and third levels and passengers were required to change lifts halfway using a short ramp. Each 10-ton vehicle could carry 65 passengers.
Official opening of the Eiffel Tower
The main structural work was completed at the end of March 1889. On March 31, Eiffel celebrated the tower's completion by leading a group of government officials, accompanied by members of the press, to the top of the tower. Since elevators were not yet operational, the ascent was made on foot, and took an hour as Eiffel stopped frequently to explain the various functions. Most of the group members decided to stop at more low levels, but several of them, including structural engineer Emile Nouguier, construction manager Jean Compagnon, the President of the City Council and reporters from Le Figaro and Le Monde Illustre, climbed to the top level of the tower. At 14:35, Eiffel raised the large tricolor to the accompaniment of a 25-gun salute on the first level.
But there was still a lot of work to be done, particularly on the elevators and equipment, and the tower was not open to the public for another nine days after the exhibition opened on May 6; even then, the elevators were not completed. The towers were an instant hit with the public, and nearly 30,000 visitors took 1,710 steps to reach the top before the lifts went into service (May 26). Tickets cost 2 francs for the first level, 3 for the second and 5 for the upper part, half price on Sundays. By the end of the exhibition, the number of visitors totaled 1,896,987 people.
After dark, the tower was illuminated by hundreds of gas lamps, and the lighthouse sent out three beams of red, white and blue light. Two spotlights mounted on a circular track were used to illuminate the various buildings of the exposition. The daily opening and closing of the exhibition was accompanied by the roar of cannons at the top of the tower.
The second level was occupied by the office of the French newspaper "Le Figar". There was also a printing press for printing special souvenir editions from "Le Figaro de la Tour". They also sold baked goods there.
There was a post office at the top from where visitors could send letters and postcards to commemorate their visit to the tower. There was also the opportunity to write down your impressions of the tower on sheets of paper specially installed for visitors on the walls. Gustave Eiffel described some of the reviews as "vraiment curieuse" ("truly curious").
The tower was visited by such famous figures as the Prince of Wales, Sarah Bernhardt, "Buffalo Bill" Cody (his "Wild West show" attracted attention to the exhibition) and Thomas Edison. Eiffel invited Edison to his apartment at the top of the tower, where Edison presented him with one of his gramophones, a new invention and one of the many highlights of the exhibition. Edison signed the guest book with this message:
"For M. Eiffel - the engineer, the brave builder of such a gigantic and original specimen modern technology from the one who has the greatest respect and admiration of all engineers, including the great engineer Bon Dew, Thomas Edison."
After some debate about the exact location of the tower, a contract was signed on January 8, 1887. It was signed by Eiffel on his own behalf rather than as a representative of his company. He was given 1.5 million francs for construction costs: less than a quarter of approximately 6.5 million francs. Eiffel was to receive all income from the commercial operation of the tower during the exhibition and for the next 20 years. He later created a separate company to manage the tower, investing half of the required capital from his own pocket.
Why wasn't the Eiffel Tower demolished?
Eiffel had permission for the tower to stand for 20 years. It was to be dismantled in 1909, when it became the property of the city of Paris. The city planned to demolish the tower (part of the rules of the competition to design the tower was that it must be easily dismantled), but since the tower proved valuable for communications purposes, it was allowed to remain after the permit expired.
Eiffel used his apartment at the top of the tower to make meteorological observations and also used the tower to conduct experiments on the effects of air resistance on falling bodies.
Reconstruction of the Eiffel Tower
Before the 1900 World's Fair, the elevators carrying passengers to the second level in the east and west legs were replaced by elevators from the French company Fives-Lille. They had a compensating mechanism to maintain the floor level as the angle of elevation changed at the first level. The elevators were operated by a similar hydraulic mechanism as the Otis elevators, although they were located at the base of the tower. Hydraulic pressure was provided by sealed accumulators located near this mechanism. At the same time, the lift to the first level in the northern leg was removed and replaced with a staircase. The layout of the first and second levels has been changed. A space accessible to visitors on the second level was organized. The original elevator at the south leg was removed thirteen years later.
On October 19, 1901, Alberto Santos-Dumont, flying in his airship No. 6, won the prize of 100,000 francs, which was offered to him by Henri Deutsche de la Meerte, as the first person to fly from Saint-Cloud to the Eiffel Tower and back in less than in less than half an hour.
At the beginning of the 20th century on Eiffel Tower a lot of innovations have happened. In 1910, Theodore Wolf's father measured radiation levels at the top and bottom of the tower. At the top he discovered, as he expected, what is today known as cosmic rays. Just two years later, on February 4, 1912, Austrian tailor Franz Reichel died after jumping from the first level of the tower (57 meters high) to demonstrate his parachute design. In 1914, at the start of World War I, a radio transmitter located in the tower jammed German radio communications, seriously hampering their advance through Paris and contributing to the Allied victory at the First Battle of the Marne. From 1925 to 1934, illuminated Citroën signs adorned three sides of the tower, making it the highest advertising space in the world at the time. In April 1935, the tower was used for experimental low-resolution television transmission using a 200-watt shortwave transmitter. On November 17, an improved 180-line transmitter was installed.
Interesting facts from the history of the Eiffel Tower
Sale of the Eiffel Tower
On two separate but related occasions in 1925, fraudster Victor Lustig "sold" the tower for scrap. A year later, in February 1926, pilot Leon Collet died while trying to fly under the tower. His plane became entangled in an antenna belonging to a wireless station. On May 2, 1929, a bust of Gustav Eiffel by Antoine Bourdelle was unveiled at the base of the northern leg. In 1930, the tower lost its title as the world's tallest structure when the Chrysler Building was completed in New York. In 1938, the decorative arcade around the first level was removed.
After the German occupation of Paris in 1940, the lifting cables were cut by the French. The tower was closed to the public during the occupation and the elevators were not restored until 1946. In 1940, German soldiers had to climb the tower to raise a swastika, but the flag was so large that it was blown away just a few hours later, after which it was replaced by a smaller one. When visiting Paris, Hitler decided not to climb the tower. In August 1944, as the Allies approached Paris, Hitler ordered General Dietrich von Choltitz, the military governor of Paris, to demolish the tower along with the rest of the city. Von Choltitz disobeyed orders. On June 25, before the Germans were expelled from Paris, the Nazi flag was replaced by the tricolor by two men from the French naval museum who were nearly beaten by three men led by Lucien Sarniguette, who lowered the tricolor on June 13, 1940, when Paris fell in front of the Germans.
Fire at the Eiffel Tower
On January 3, 1956, a fire started at the television transmitter, damaging the top of the tower. It took a year to repair, and in 1957, the radio antenna that had previously been there was attached to the top. In 1964, the Minister of Cultural Affairs, André Malraux, officially recognized the Eiffel Tower as a historical monument. A year later, an additional lifting system was installed in the northern column.
According to the interview, in 1967, Montreal Mayor Jean-Dropau made a secret agreement with Charles de Gaulle that the tower should be dismantled and temporarily moved to Montreal to serve as a landmark and tourist attraction during Expo 67. The plan was allegedly vetoed by the tower's operating company out of fear that the French government might refuse permission to rebuild the tower in its original location.
Replacing elevators at the Eiffel Tower
In 1982, the original elevators between the second and third levels were replaced after 97 years of service. They were closed to the public between November and March because the water in the hydraulic drive tended to freeze. The new machines work in pairs, one counterbalancing the other, and make the journey in one stage, cutting travel time from eight minutes to less than two minutes. At the same time, two new fire escapes were installed to replace the original spiral staircases. In 1983, the south column was equipped with an electrically driven Otis elevator to serve the Jules Verne restaurant. Installed in 1899, the Fives-Lille elevators, which ascend the east and west columns, were completely renovated in 1986. The machines were replaced and a computer system was installed to fully automate them. The driving force was transferred from the water hydraulic system to the new electrically driven oil hydraulics, and the original water hydraulics were retained solely as a counterbalance system. Three years later, a service elevator was added to the south pillar to move small loads and maintenance personnel.
On March 31, 1984, Robert Moriarty flew a Beechcraft Bonanza under the tower. In 1987, AJ Hackett made one of his first bungee jumps from the top of the Eiffel Tower using a special cord he helped develop. Hackett was detained by police. On October 27, 1991, Thierry Devaux, along with mountain guide Hervé Calvayrac, performed a series of acrobatic feats along with bungee jumping on the second floor of the tower. Deveaux used an electric winch between the figures in front of the Champs de Mars to return to the second floor. He stopped after the sixth jump when firefighters arrived.
Lights and night illumination of the Eiffel Tower
On December 31, 1999, to celebrate the "Countdown to 2000", flashing lights and powerful spotlights were installed on the tower. Fireworks flickered around the tower. An exhibition above the cafeteria on the first floor was dedicated to this event. The floodlights at the top of the tower made it a beacon in the night sky of Paris, and 20,000 flashing lights gave the tower a brilliant appearance for five minutes every hour.
On December 31, 2000, the lights sparkled blue for several nights to usher in the new millennium. The brilliant illumination continued for 18 months until July 2001. The sparkling lights were turned on again on June 21, 2003, and the spectacle was planned to last for 10 years, after which the bulbs would need to be replaced.
Eiffel Tower attendance
On November 28, 2002, the 200,000,000th guest visited the tower. In 2003, the tower operated at maximum capacity and was visited by approximately 7 million people. In 2004, a seasonal ice skating rink was installed on the first level of the Eiffel Tower. During the 2014 renovation, a glass floor was installed on the first level.
Characteristics of the Eiffel Tower
What metal is the Eiffel Tower made of?
The wrought iron weight of the Eiffel Tower is 7,300 tons, and with the addition of elevators, shops and antennas, the total weight is about 10,100 tons. As a demonstration of the economics of the design, if 7,300 tons of metal were melted into the structure, it would fill a square base, 125 meters (410 ft) on each side, to a depth of only 6.25 cm (2.46 in), assuming a metal density of 7.8 tons per cubic meter. In addition, the cubic box surrounding the tower (324 m x 125 m x 125 m) would contain 6,200 tons of air, weighing almost as much as the iron itself. Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the tower can move away from the sun by up to 18 cm (7 in) due to thermal expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun.
Stability of the Eiffel Tower structure
When the tower was built, many were shocked by its bold shape. Eiffel was accused of trying to create something artistic without paying attention to design principles. However, Eiffel and his team - experienced bridge builders - understood the importance of wind forces, and knew that if they were going to build the most tall building in the world, they must be confident that it can withstand these forces. In an interview for the newspaper Le Temps, published on February 14, 1887, Eiffel said:
Isn't it true that the very conditions that give strength also correspond to the hidden rules of harmony?...Consequently, what phenomenon should I have paid the main attention to when designing the Tower? This is wind resistance. Well then! I believe that the curvature of the four outer edges of the monument, which according to mathematical calculations should have been ... will give a great impression of strength and beauty, since it will reveal to the eye of the observer the boldness of the design as a whole.
He more often used graphical methods to determine the strength of the tower and empirical data to account for the influence of wind instead of mathematical formulas. Close examination of the tower reveals a mostly exponential shape. Careful work was carried out on every detail of the tower to ensure maximum resistance to wind force. The top half even suggested there were no gaps in the grille. In the years following the project's completion, engineers came up with various mathematical hypotheses in an attempt to explain its success. The most recent, developed in 2004 after letters sent by Eiffel to the French Society of Civil Engineers in 1885 were translated into English, is described as a nonlinear integral equation based on the opposition of wind pressure on any point of the tower with tension between the elements structures at this point.
Does the Eiffel Tower swing?
The Eiffel Tower sways up to 9 cm (3.5 inches) in the wind.
What's inside the Eiffel Tower?
When the Eiffel Tower was built, there were three restaurants on the first level - one French, one Russian and one Flemish, as well as an Anglo-American Bar. After the exhibition was closed, the Flemish Restaurant was converted into a theater with 250 seats. A 2.6 meter (8 ft 6 in) wide walkway ran outside the first level. At the top, there were laboratories for various experiments, as well as small apartments that served Gustave Eiffel to entertain guests. The apartment is now open to the public, complete with period decorations as well as lifelike mannequins of Eiffel and some of his notable guests.
In May 2016, an apartment was created on the first level to accommodate the four competition winners in June during the UEFA Euro 2016 football tournament in Paris. The apartment has a kitchen, two bedrooms, a living room and views of Parisian landmarks including the Seine, Sacre Coeur and the Arc de Triomphe.
Passenger elevators in the Eiffel Tower
The location of the elevators has been changed several times during the tower's history. Given the elasticity of the cables and the time required to level the cars with the seats, each round trip, with normal servicing, takes an average of 8 minutes and 50 seconds, spending an average of 1 minute and 15 seconds at each level. Average travel time between levels is 1 minute. The original hydraulic mechanism is on display in a small museum at the base of the east and west legs. Because the mechanism requires frequent lubrication and maintenance, public access is often limited. Visitors can see the north tower's rope mechanism as they exit the elevator.
Lettering on the Eiffel Tower
Gustave Eiffel engraved the names of 72 French scientists, engineers and mathematicians on the tower in recognition of their contributions to the tower's construction. Eiffel chose this "challenge of science" because of his concern about the artists' protest. At the beginning of the 20th century, the engravings were painted over, but in 1986-87 they were restored by the Société Nouvelle d'exploitation de la Tour Eiffel company working on the tower.
The aesthetic appearance of the Eiffel Tower
The tower is painted in three shades: lighter at the top, it gradually becomes darker towards the bottom and perfectly complements the Parisian sky. Originally it was reddish brown; this color changed in 1968 to bronze, known as "Eiffel Tower Brown".
The only non-structural elements are four decorative lattice arches added in Soverre's sketches, which served to make the tower more substantial and create a more impressive entrance to the exhibition.
Where can you see the Eiffel Tower?
One of the great clichés of Hollywood is that the view from a Paris window always includes a tower. In fact, since zoning restrictions allow the height of most buildings in Paris to be seven stories, only a small number of high-rise buildings have a clear view of the tower.
Eiffel Tower Maintenance
Maintenance of the tower includes applying 60 tons of paint every seven years to prevent corrosion. The tower was completely repainted at least 19 times since it was built. Lead paint was used until 2001, when the practice was stopped due to concerns about environment.
Eiffel Tower and tourism
Where is the Eiffel Tower located?
The nearest metro station is "Bir-Hakeim" and the nearest RER station is "Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel". The tower itself is located at the intersection of the Branly embankment and Pont d'Iéna.
Popularity of the Eiffel Tower among tourists
More than 250 million people have visited the tower since it was completed in 1889. In 2015 there were 6.91 million visitors. The tower is the most visited monument in the world. On average 25,000 people climb the tower every day, which can lead to long queues. To avoid queues, tickets can be purchased online.
Eiffel Tower Restaurants
The tower has two restaurants: "Le 58 Tour Eiffel" on the first level, and "Le Jules Verne", a gourmet restaurant with private elevator, on the second level. This restaurant has one star in the Michelin Red Guide. Its author is Michelin star chef Alain Ducasse, who owes his name to the famous science fiction writer Jules Verne.
Replicas of the Eiffel Tower in cities around the world
As one of the most iconic landmarks in the world, the Eiffel Tower has inspired many replicas and similar towers. An early example is Blackpool Tower in England. The mayor of Blackpool, Sir John Bickerstaff, was so impressed when he saw the Eiffel Tower at the 1889 exhibition that he commissioned a similar tower to be built in his town. It was opened in 1894 and rose to 158.1 meters (518 feet). The designers of Tokyo Tower in Japan, built for communications in 1958, were also inspired by the Eiffel Tower.
There are various scale models of the tower in the United States, including a half scale model of the Paris Tower in Las Vegas, Nevada, one in Texas built in 1993, and two 1:3 scale models in Kings Island, Ohio. and King's Dominion (Virginia), amusement parks that opened in 1972 and 1975, respectively. Two 1:3 scale models can be found in China, one in Durango (Mexico) that was donated to the local French community, and several more throughout Europe.
In 2011, the National Geographic Channel TV show "Pricing the Priceless" estimated that it would cost about $480 million to build a full-size replica of the tower.
Functions of the Eiffel Tower
The tower has been used to provide radio transmissions since the early 20th century. Until the 1950s, sets of overhead wires ran from the top of the tower to anchors at Avenue de Suffren and Champ de Mars. They were connected to long-wave transmitters in small bunkers. In 1909, a permanent underground radio center was built under the south pillar, which still exists today. On November 20, 1913, the Paris Observatory used the Eiffel Tower as an antenna to exchange wireless signals with the United States Naval Observatory, which used an antenna in Arlington, Virginia. The purpose of the transmissions was to measure the difference in longitude between Paris and Washington, DC. Today, radio and television signals are transmitted using the Eiffel Tower.
FM radio
TV antenna on the Eiffel Tower
A television antenna was first installed on the tower in 1957, increasing its height by 18.7 m (61.4 ft). Work carried out in 2000 added a further 5.3 m (17.4 ft), giving the current height of 324 m (1,063 ft). Analog television signals from the Eiffel Tower were discontinued on March 8, 2011.
Why can't you photograph the Eiffel Tower at night?
The tower and its image have long been in free access. However, in June 1990, a French court ruled that the special lighting of the display on the tower in 1989, which commemorated the tower's 100th anniversary, was an "original visual design" that was protected by copyright. Court of Cassation, France's court of last resort, upheld the decision in March 1992. "The Société d"Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel" currently considers any illumination of the tower to be a separate work of art that is subject to copyright. As a result, SNTE argues that it is illegal to publish contemporary photographs of the illuminated tower at night for commercial use without permits in France and some other countries.
The introduction of copyright was controversial. The Director of Documentation of the then-called "Société Nouvelle d'exploitation de la Tour Eiffel" (SNTE), commented on this in 2005: "It's really just a way of managing the commercial use of the image, so that it's not used in ways that we don't approve of." SNTE ( the company that manages the Eiffel Tower) earned more than €1 million from royalties in 2002. However, it can also be used to restrict the publication of tourist photographs of the tower at night, as well as to discourage non-commercial and semi-commercial publication of images of the illuminated tower.
French doctrine and jurisprudence allows photographing of an illuminated copyrighted work if its presence is incidental or ancillary to the subject represented, which is analogous to the rule "De minimis" ("The law does not care about minutiae"). Therefore, SETE may not be able to claim copyright for photographs of Paris that may include the illuminated tower.
Eiffel Tower in popular culture
The Eiffel Tower is depicted in films, video games and television shows as a global landmark.
In a commitment ceremony in 2007, American Erica Eiffel "married" the Eiffel Tower; her relationship with the tower has been the subject of widespread global publicity.
Despite being the tallest structure in the world upon completion in 1889, the Eiffel Tower has lost its reputation as both the tallest lattice tower and the tallest structure in France. The height with the new antenna is 324 meters (as of 2010)
Eiffel Tower (France) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.
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Nowadays no one can imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower, and most Parisians, if they didn’t fall in love with it, at least managed to come to terms with it. But this was not always the case - after its construction it caused strong dissatisfaction among many townspeople who found it extremely awkward. Hugo and Maupassant, for example, repeatedly insisted that the tower should be removed from the streets of Paris.
Initially, the structure was planned to be dismantled in 1909, 20 years after its construction - but after stunning commercial success, the tower received “eternal registration.”
However, most tourists always admire the Eiffel Tower. Even after 120 years, it remains the tallest building in Paris and the fifth tallest in all of France. Despite its majestic dimensions, its total weight does not exceed 10 thousand tons, it exerts pressure behind the ground equal to the pressure of a person sitting on a chair, and if all the metal of the tower is melted into a single block, it will occupy an area of 25 by 5 m and will be only 6 cm in height! However, in our time, the construction of a similar structure would require three times less metal - technology does not stand still.
France will be the only country to have a 300-meter flagpole!
Gustave Eiffel
The most patriotic Parisian
During the German occupation, Hitler visited Paris and wanted to climb the Eiffel Tower. However, the Fuhrer’s wish did not come true: the elevator broke down just in time, and Hitler left with nothing. After such an embarrassment, the Germans spent 4 years trying to repair the ill-fated lift. In vain - the German craftsmen could not figure out the mechanism, and the French just shrugged their shoulders - there are no spare parts! However, in 1944, literally a few hours after the liberation of Paris, the elevator miraculously started working and has been working without interruption to this day.
"Eiffel Brown"
It is curious that the Eiffel Tower is probably the only building in the world that has its own patented color - Eiffel Brown, which gives the tower a bronze tint. Before that, she changed several colors - she was yellow, red-brown, and ocher. IN lately The tower is repainted every 7 years, and in total this procedure was carried out 19 times. Each painting requires about 60 tons of paint (as well as about 1.5 thousand brushes and 2 hectares of protective mesh), so over time the tower still continues to gain weight. And not only in weight - due to new antennas, its height is gradually increasing: today it is 324 m, and this is far from the limit.
In fact, the Eiffel Tower is not at all monochromatic, as it might seem at first. It is painted in three different shades of bronze - from the darkest on the first level to the lighter on the third. This is done so that the tower looks more harmonious against the sky.
Everyone can buy a piece of the Eiffel Tower, and we are not talking about souvenirs with its image, but about the original itself - since the time of Gustave Eiffel, the “Iron Lady” has belonged to a private company, and its shares are traded on the stock exchange.
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General information
Originally conceived as a temporary structure, the Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of France and an object of admiration. However, the history of the creation and construction of the impressive structure was dramatic. For many Parisians, the tower only evoked negative emotions, - the townspeople believed that such a tall structure would not fit into the appearance of their beloved capital or would even collapse. But over time, the French came to appreciate the Eiffel Tower and fell in love with it. Today, thousands of people take pictures against the backdrop of the famous landmark; all lovers strive for it to spend unforgettable moments. Every girl who has a date at the Eiffel Tower hopes that it is there, taking all of Paris as a witness, that her beloved will propose marriage to her.
History of the Eiffel Tower
1886 In three years, the World Industrial Exhibition EXPO will begin in Paris. The exhibition organizers announced a competition for a temporary architectural structure that would serve as the entrance to the exhibition and represent technical revolution of its time, the beginning of grandiose transformations in the life of mankind. The proposed construction had to meet the following requirements - generate income and be easily dismantled. More than 100 competitors took part in the creative competition, which started in May 1886. Some of the designs were quite bizarre - for example, a huge guillotine reminiscent of the revolution, or a tower built entirely of stone. Among the participants in the competition was the engineer and designer Gustave Eiffel, who proposed a project of a 300-meter high, completely unusual for that time. metal structure. He drew the very idea of the tower from the drawings of his company’s employees, Maurice Koechlen and Emile Nugier.
Construction of the Eiffel Tower, 1887-1889
It was proposed to make the structure from malleable cast iron, which at that time was the most progressive and economical building material. Eiffel's project was among the four winners. Thanks to some changes made by the engineer to the decorative design of the tower, the competition organizers preferred his “Iron Lady”.
The artistic appearance of the Eiffel Tower was developed by Stéphane Sauvestre. To add more sophistication to the cast-iron structure, the architect proposed adding arches between the supports of the first floor. They symbolized the entrance to the exhibition and made the structure more elegant. In addition, Sauvestre planned to place spacious glazed halls on various floors of the building, and slightly round the top of the tower.
The construction of the tower required 7.8 million francs, but the state allocated only one and a half million to Eiffel. The engineer agreed to contribute the missing amount from own funds, but in return demanded that the tower be leased to him for 25 years. At the beginning of 1887, the French authorities, the mayor's office of Paris and Eiffel entered into an agreement and construction began.
Old photos of the Eiffel TowerAll 18,000 structural parts were manufactured at Gustave's own factory in Levallois, near the French capital. Thanks to carefully verified drawings, work on installing the tower progressed very quickly. The mass of individual elements of the structure did not exceed 3 tons, which greatly facilitated its assembly. At first, tall cranes were used to lift the parts. Then, when the tower became taller than them, Eiffel used small mobile cranes that he had specially designed, moving along elevator rails. After two years, two months and five days, with the efforts of three hundred workers, the construction of the structure was completed.
From 1925 to 1934, the Eiffel Tower was a giant advertising medium
The Eiffel Tower instantly attracted thousands of curious people - in the first six months of the exhibition alone, more than two million people came to admire the new landmark. The appearance of a new huge silhouette against the backdrop of Paris caused fierce controversy in French society. Many representatives of the creative intelligentsia were categorically against the appearance of a tower equal in height to an 80-story building - they feared that the iron structure would destroy the style of the city and suppress its architecture. Critics of Eiffel’s creation called the tower “the tallest lamppost”, “a grill in the form of a bell tower”, “an iron monster” and other unflattering and sometimes offensive epithets.
But, despite the protests and dissatisfaction of a certain part of French citizens, the Eiffel Tower almost completely paid for itself in the first year of operation, and further operation of the structure brought solid dividends to its creator.
Hitler with the Eiffel Tower in the backgroundBy the end of the lease period, it became clear that dismantling the tower could be avoided - by that time it was actively used for telephone and telegraph communications, as well as for placing radio stations. Gustave was able to convince the government and generals of the country that in the event of war, the Eiffel Tower would be indispensable as a radio signal transmitter. At the beginning of 1910, the lease of the tower by its creator was extended for 70 years. During the German occupation in 1940, French patriots broke all the lifting mechanisms to cut off Hitler's path to the top of the tower. Due to non-functioning elevators, the aggressors were unable to plant their flag on the iron Frenchwoman. The Germans even called their specialists from Germany to repair the elevators, but they were unable to get them working.
Gustave EiffelWith the development of television, the Eiffel Tower becomes in demand as a place to place antennas, of which there are currently several dozen on it.
The designer, who initially used his structure for profit, subsequently transferred the rights to it to the state, and today the tower is the property of the French people.
Eiffel could not imagine that his creation would become a tourist magnet along with other “wonders of the world.” The engineer simply called it a “300-meter tower,” not expecting that it would glorify and perpetuate his name. Today, the openwork metal structure towering over the French capital is recognized as the most photographed and visited landmark in the world.
Replicas of the Eiffel Tower can be found in more than 30 cities: Tokyo, Berlin, Las Vegas, Prague, Hangzhou, London, Sydney, Almaty, Moscow and others.
Description
The base of the Eiffel Tower is a pyramid formed by four pillars. At a height of about 60 meters, the supports are connected by an arch, on which a square ground floor platform with sides of 65 meters is located. From this lower platform rise the next four pillars, forming another vault at a height of 116 meters. Here is the second floor landing, a square half the size of the first. The supports, soaring up from the second platform, gradually connect to form a giant column 190 meters high. On this colossal rod, at an altitude of 276 meters from the ground, there is a third floor - a square platform with sides of 16.5 meters. On the third platform there is a lighthouse, topped with a dome, above which, at a height of three hundred meters, there is a small one and a half meter platform. The height of the Eiffel Tower today is 324 meters thanks to the television antenna installed on it. In addition to television and radio equipment, the building houses cellular communication towers, as well as a unique weather station that records data on atmospheric pollution and background radiation.
At the foot of the Eiffel TowerAt the foot of the Eiffel Tower there are ticket offices and an information desk with free booklets and brochures. There is a souvenir shop in each support of the structure, and there is also a post office in the southern column. There is also a snack bar on the ground level. Here is also the entrance to the premises, where you can see outdated hydraulic lifting mechanisms. But access here is open only to organized excursion groups.
On the ground floor, visitors are greeted by the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant, another souvenir shop and the Cineiffel center, where films about the construction of the Eiffel Tower are shown. Little visitors will be delighted to meet Gus, the tower's mascot and the hero of the guide book. In addition, on the first level there is a fragment of an old spiral staircase leading to the next floors, as well as to the office of Eiffel himself.
Visitors who approached the tower with north side, meets a gilded bust of its creator with a simple inscription: “Eiffel. 1832-1923".
The second level is an observation deck. On this floor there is the Jules Verne restaurant and another souvenir shop. Many interesting details about the construction of the tower can be gleaned from the information stands located on this level. In winter, a small skating rink is installed on the second floor.
The main goal of the overwhelming number of visitors is the third level. Elevators ascend to it, through the windows of which you can admire Paris. On the top floor, those who wish can celebrate their ascent to the tower with champagne at the Champange Bar. A glass of pink or white sparkling drink costs 10-15 €. On the third floor site there can be 800 people at the same time. Previously, on the upper platform there was an observatory and the office of Eiffel himself.
You can climb to the top of the structure by elevator or by stairs consisting of 1,792 steps. The Eiffel Tower is served by 3 elevators, but they are never operational at the same time due to safety reasons and due to constant maintenance of the structure.
During its existence, the tower was both yellow and red-brown. Today, the bronze color of the structure is officially patented and is called “Eiffel brown.” Redecoration of the Eiffel Tower is carried out every 7 years, this process takes one and a half years. Before applying fresh paint, the old layer is removed using steam under high pressure. Then the entire structure is carefully inspected, unusable parts are replaced with new ones. After this, the tower is covered with two layers of paint, which requires 57 tons for this procedure. But the color of the tower is not uniform everywhere; it is painted in different shades of bronze - from dark at the base of the structure to lighter at the very top. This method of painting is used to ensure that the structure looks harmonious against the sky. Interestingly, even today paint is applied with brushes.
In the 80s of the last century, the tower was reconstructed - some of the parts were replaced with stronger and lighter ones.
Eiffel designed his creation in such a way that it is not afraid of storms - during the strongest winds, the tower deviates from its axis by a maximum of 12 centimeters. An iron structure is much more susceptible to the sun - iron elements expand so much when heated that the upper part of the tower sometimes deviates sideways by up to 20 centimeters.
Visitors first saw the tower illuminated in 1889, on the opening day of the World Industrial Exhibition. The structure was illuminated by 10,000 gas lamps, two large searchlights and a lighthouse, whose blue, white and red rays symbolized the country's national colors. In 1900, the tower was equipped with electric light bulbs. In 1925, the owner of the Citroen company placed a grand advertisement on the structure - with the help of 125,000 light bulbs, images of the tower appeared on it, zodiac constellations and products of the famous French automobile concern. This light show lasted 9 years.
In the 21st century, the lighting of the Eiffel Tower has been modernized several times. In 2008, when France held the EU presidency, the structure was illuminated in blue to represent the European flag. Nowadays the lighting of the tower is golden. It turns on for 10 minutes at the beginning of every hour, in the dark.
In 2015, the tower's electric bulbs were replaced with LED ones to save energy and financial costs. In addition, thermal panels were placed on the structure, two windmills and a rainwater collection system.
Views from the Eiffel Tower
- The Eiffel Tower is the emblem of Paris and a high-altitude antenna.
- There can be 10,000 people on the tower at the same time.
- The project was drawn up by the architect Stéphane Sauvestre, but the tower was built by the engineer Gustave Eiffel (1823-1923), better known to the public. Other works by Eiffel: Ponte de Dona Maria Pia, Viaduct de Gharabi, iron frame for the New York Statue of Liberty.
- Since the tower appeared, about 250 million people have visited it.
- The weight of the metal part of the structure is 7,300 tons, and the weight of the entire tower is 10,100 tons.
- In 1925, the rogue Victor Lustig managed to sell the iron structure for scrap, and he was able to pull off this trick twice!
- In good weather, from the top of the tower, Paris and its surroundings can be viewed within a radius of up to 70 kilometers. It is believed that optimal time to visit the Eiffel Tower, which provides the best visibility - an hour before sunset.
- The tower also holds a sad record - about 400 people committed suicide by throwing themselves down from its upper platform. In 2009, the terrace was fenced with protective barriers and now this place is very popular with romantic couples kissing in front of the whole of Paris.
Tower address: Champ de Mars (Field of Mars). Metro stations: Bir Hakeim (line 6), Trocadero (line 9).
The bus numbers running to the tower are: 42, 69, 72, 82 and 87.
Operating mode. From June 15 to September 1 - opening at 09.00. The elevator to the 2nd floor stops operating at midnight; ascent to the 3rd floor (top) is carried out until 23.00; the stairs to the 2nd floor close at 00.00; the entire tower is accessible until 00.45.
From September 2 to June 14, the Eiffel Tower welcomes visitors from 09.30. The elevator to the 2nd floor is open until 23.00; the elevator takes guests to the top until 22.30; the stairs to the 2nd floor are open until 18.00; the entire tower is open until 23.45.
During the spring and Easter holidays, access to the tower is open until midnight.
Sometimes the climb to the top of the tower is temporarily suspended - due to dangerous weather conditions or too large quantity visitors on it.
Entrance ticket prices. Until September 1: elevator to the 2nd floor - 9 € (for adults), 7 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 4.5 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old). Elevator to the top - 15.50 € (for adults), 13.50 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 11 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old). Stairs to the 2nd floor - 5 € (for adults), 4 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 3.50 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old).
After September 1: elevator to the 2nd floor - 11 € (for adults), 8.50 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 4 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old). Elevator to the top - 17 € (for adults), 14.50 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 10 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old). Stairs to the 2nd floor - 7 € (for adults), 5 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 3 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old).
Visitors with disabilities can access the second floor of the Eiffel Tower using an elevator.
In order to quickly get to the first and second platforms of the tower, it is better to use the stairs on the south side, since the elevators almost always have long queues.
If you want to get to the top of the Iron Lady without the queue, then you should buy electronic tickets in advance on the official website of the tower - www.tour-eiffel.fr. The ticket must be printed and paid for using a credit card. You need to approach the tower 10-15 minutes before the time indicated on the ticket, avoiding the queue. Those who are more than half an hour late for sightseeing will not be allowed in; in this case, tickets will be cancelled. You need to worry about pre-purchasing tickets as early as possible, since their sale for a specific day begins 3 months in advance at 08.30 Paris time, and there are a lot of people who want to get to the tower without a queue.
A table at the Jules Verne restaurant needs to be booked several months in advance; the average check for lunch at an altitude of 175 meters is 300 €.
Daria Nessel| Dec 20, 2016
The Eiffel Tower is the main symbol of Paris and all of France. Who among us would not want to be in the most magical, romantic and beautiful city on earth - Paris. It is full of colors, the French capital is captivating, opening up a new, completely unknown world. Each of us has always dreamed of strolling along the Champs Elysees, walking through the halls of Versailles, and, of course, seeing the city from a bird's eye view by climbing the Eiffel Tower.
Eiffel Tower weight
The weight of this creation of engineering is 10,100 tons, and the weight of the metal structure itself is 7,300 tons. Today, thanks to the development of technology, this amount of metal would be enough for several similar structures.
Height of the Eiffel Tower
For four decades, the Eiffel Tower with a height of 300 meters (in 2010, thanks to the installed antenna, the height increased to 324 meters) was considered the tallest in the world and was almost twice as tall as buildings of that time, such as and.
Height of the lower tier
Middle tier height
Top tier height
- From the 2nd floor, namely from 115 m, in 2010 a world record for roller jumping was set.
- In 2012, Alain Robert climbed to the top of the monument without insurance.
- The Eiffel Tower has an exclusive color called “Eiffel Brown”.
- About two thousand kilograms of paper are required to print day tickets for visitors to the Iron Lady.
- In 2007, American Erica Labrie took the Eiffel Tower as her husband. The government did not recognize the marriage, but the woman was allowed to change her name to Erica La Tour Eiffel.
- The creator of the Iron Lady spent 8,000,000 francs from his own funds on the construction, which paid off in the first year after the opening.
- The tower repeatedly changed its appearance from red-brown to yellow.
- Since 2004, the first floor has been poured. This year it is stylized with a hockey theme.
- The total length of the path to the top of the Eiffel Tower is 1792 steps.
- More than 6 million tourists visit the monument every year, and up to 30 thousand people a day.
- The amount of energy consumed by the tower is 7.8 million kWh per year to power 5 billion lamps and lanterns.
- 300 millionth visitor expected in 2017
- One share of the Eiffel Tower costs approximately 40 euros on the stock exchange.
- The total number of structural elements is 18,038 and they are connected by more than 2,500,000 rivets.
- The total area of the metal structure is 250 thousand m2
- Painting the building costs 4,000,000 euros (2009 data); it is painted once every 7 years.
- Painting takes more than 60 tons of paint in 3 shades
- Misfortunes have also accompanied this monument since June 15, 1898. Already about 400 people have committed suicide.
- The tower deviates from the wind by only 15 cm, and on a sunny day its inclination is 18 cm.
- Service personnel 350 people.
- Ground pressure 4 kg. cm 2
- The view from the top observation deck is almost 70 km. in good weather.
- The Eiffel Tower is considered the most expensive monument in Europe, its cost is 435 million
Eiffel Tower project
The anniversary of the French Revolution has arrived, and in honor of this, the authorities decided to organize an exhibition, creating something that would be remembered for a long time. The administration commissioned the famous engineer Gustav Eiffel to make a project and make proposals for the construction of the future structure. Gustav was surprised, but after painstaking work he submitted for consideration to the city administration an original, complex and unusual drawing for those times - an iron tower rising three hundred meters. According to historical information, the engineer had a similar idea and initial drawing for a long time, but he did not pay much attention to them due to the complexity of the work and busyness.
In 1884, he received a patent for the creation of the project, after purchasing the exclusive right.
Two years later, a competition was launched that determined the appearance of the exhibition. 107 very diverse projects took part in it, many of them repeated the drawings of the Eiffel Tower, but did not surpass it.
Very unusual proposals were offered for the exhibition, for example, a huge guillotine - a special mechanism for carrying out death penalty, by cutting off the head, reminiscent of all the horrors of the revolution. Another interesting proposal was a tower made of stone, the construction was supposed to surpass the Washington Monument in the USA. The idea was immediately abandoned due to the inconvenience of constructing the structure only from stone.
Eiffel's project was one of the four lucky winners. In order for the tower to correspond to the aesthetic ensemble of the city, changes were made latest changes, after which the drawing was finally approved.
After approval, the difficult task was to build the Eiffel Tower in two years. This became possible thanks to special construction methods.
Many members of the public were against the iron colossus right in the center of Paris, so Stéphane Sauvestre was invited to work on the aesthetic appearance. He put forward several conceptual solutions for upgrading the iron structure, proposed covering the lower supports with stones, and connecting the base and first floor using a patterned arch. It was proposed to glaze the halls, make the top round, and the final touch was to use decorative elements along the entire height.
An agreement was signed with Eiffel, as an engineer and creator, he was provided with it for personal use and rent for twenty-five years, plus considerable subsidies. It is worth noting that the Eiffel Tower fully paid for itself during the exhibition, and the excursion to it profitable business and today.
Construction of the Eiffel Tower
The construction of the Eiffel Tower took just over two years, all thanks to carefully crafted drawings. They indicated the exact dimensions of about twelve thousand different metal parts. More than two and a half million rivets were used to assemble the structure. To carry out faster work, several parts were assembled into single blocks on the ground, and holes for rivets were drilled in advance. Each of the iron blocks weighed no more than three tons, this made it easier to install them at height.
At first, cranes were used, and when the tower outgrew them, Gustav came up with special mobile cranes that moved on rails, and then elevators were launched in their place.
Due to the tight deadlines and high height of the structure, Eiffel paid great attention to safety. During the entire period there were no fatal incidents, which is quite surprising for that period.
Paradoxically, but the most difficult work was carried out with a lower platform, it held the multi-ton structure, preventing it from sagging, tilting or collapsing. The entire structure has an excellent oscillatory trajectory, which prevents it from falling due to strong winds.
From the diaries of eyewitnesses to those events one can find enthusiastic stories about the construction of the Eiffel Tower.
Many Parisians were sincerely surprised and admired by such a fast-growing, huge iron giant in the very center of the city.
And so, on March 31, 1889, twenty-six months later, the engineer invited officials for the first ascent; 1,710 steps had to be overcome.
Reaction to the Eiffel Tower
According to the agreement with the engineer, the Eiffel Tower was supposed to be dismantled in twenty years, but the unusual structure was very popular with visitors to the exhibition and guests of the capital, and was a resounding success. In just 6 months, more than two million people visited it.
“The Iron Lady,” as the people called the building, caused quite a controversial reaction. After the project was approved and throughout the construction, the mayor's office and administration received letters and petitions demanding that the construction be stopped. Activists believed that the Eiffel Tower would destroy the aesthetic ensemble of the city, built over many centuries. They called it an ugly, tasteless, huge iron pipe. Many were indignant at the shadow cast by the tower, saying that there was nowhere to hide from it; it could be seen from anywhere in the city.
A restaurant was created on the ground floor, which is still open today. One day, Guy de Maupassant, the famous French writer, who was having lunch at a restaurant, was asked why he chose this particular place. To which he gave a very categorical answer, saying: “That this restaurant is the only place in all of Paris from where you can’t see the tower.” But " iron lady"stood for more than twenty years, now it is impossible to imagine the city without it.
Eiffel Tower lights
When night falls on the city, the Eiffel Tower lights up with thousands of small lights, a spectacle of indescribable beauty, it is simply impossible to take your eyes off it. Usually it glows with golden lights, but during special events or mourning events, it is painted in the colors of the flags of various countries, inscriptions are projected on it, or a color is chosen to symbolize the upcoming event.
Where is the Eiffel Tower
The symbol of Paris is located in the 7th arrondissement, near the Quai Branly on the banks of the Seine River.
There are several metro stations 5–10 minutes from the Eiffel Tower:
- Trocadero station, overlooking Trocadero Square, metro lines 6 and 9. You just need to walk a little, pass the gardens - a park area decorated with fountains and a bridge over the river.
- Bir-Hakeim station, metro line 6. Suburban trains, line C, also go to the same station. You will get off at the embankment, from here you can walk just a couple of minutes, enjoying the views of the Seine.
- Ecole Militaire station, line eight. It is the furthest from the famous landmark, but is notable for the fact that it runs through the famous Champ de Mars park.
Don’t neglect buses (42, 69, 72, 82, 87) or walking, so you can enjoy the city in real life, and not be crowded in stuffy subway cars.
View of the Eiffel Tower
Google panorama of the Eiffel Tower.
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