The Eiffel Tower[I'fuhl] is a huge wrought-iron skeleton tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Originally commissioned as the signature feature of the 1889 Universal Exposition, a celebration of the centenary of the French Revolution, it is today the most popular tourist attraction in Paris.
Facts and Figures
Designer and Chief Contractor Alexandre
Gustave Eiffel
Engineers Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier
Architect Stephen Sauvestre
Construction Time 2 years, 2
months, 5 days
Dedicated March 31, 1889
Total Height 1,063 feet (324
meters), including communications antenna
Size at Base 330 square feet (101 square meters)
Composition 18,038 pieces of
iron and steel; 2,500,000 rivets
Metal Framework Weight 7,300 short tons (6,400
metric tons)
Total Weight 10,100 tons
Miscellaneous Information
Eiffel's design was one of about 700 submitted to the Exposition committee, and was that committee's unanimous choice.
When the design of the structure was made public, some 300 Parisians signed a petition calling it "useless and monstrous," and nature lovers were afraid the structure would interfere with the flight of birds over Paris.
The Tower was almost torn down at the expiration of its 20-year lease in 1909, but was saved because of its antenna, then being used for telegraphy. It became part of the International Time Service in 1910, and served as an important military observation station during World War I. Antennas atop the structure have been transmitting radio signals since 1918, and television signals since 1957.
The official website of the Eiffel Tower is www.tour-eiffel.fr.
The Robinson Library
Fine Arts.--Architecture.--Towers, Turrets, Minarets, Etc.
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