Why Was The Eiffel Tower Built?

One of the structures of this city remains the most recognizable images in the world. We are taking, of course, about the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Only few people know the proper history of this magnificent structure.

A good question to start with, obviously, is…. why was the Eiffel Tower built in the first place?

The 1889 World’s fair

To mark the 100-year anniversary of the French Revolution, Paris hosted the World’s Fair, and wanted to mark the occasion with something truly spectacular. More than 100 architects and designers submitted ideas. The winning bid came from the construction firm of Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, a renowned bridge builder and architect. It took more than two years to complete, and consists of more than 2.5 million rivets and 18,000 individual pieces of wrought-iron. When it was finished, it stood nearly 1,000 feet tall – making it the tallest structure in the world, a title it held for more than 40 years.

After the fair…

While it seems impossible today, the French government nearly tore down the Eiffel Tower in 1909, just twenty years after it was constructed, since it was only supposed to be a temporary exhibit. Many French citizens had also voiced their concern that it marred the profile of the city, and some even called it an “eyesore”. However, the strategic value of the tower as a radio antenna could not be denied, so the City decided to keep the structure in place!

40 years after its construction, its title as the tallest manmade structure in the world was put in jeopardy, when the Chrysler Building was constructed in New York. Not wanting to be outdone by the Americans, a radio antenna was added to the top of the Eiffel Tower, bringing it to its current height of 1,063 feet, making it 17 feet taller than its American challenger. However, a year after reclaiming the title, the Empire State Building was erected, topping out at 1,454 feet in height, marking the end of the Eiffel Tower’s reign over the sky.

When the Nazis took Paris during the Second World War, Hitler ordered the structure destroyed, but the order was never carried out. Perhaps even the Nazis couldn’t help but look at this impressive structure and be awed.

What about Eiffel himself?

Now, you may be wondering…. if Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel designed the Eiffel Tower, surely he must have also done some other great work, right?

Well, as it turns out, he was also employed to work on another iconic structure that you have surely seen before….

Yes, that’s right. Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel was the second designer of the internal structure of the Statue of Liberty, after the original designer, Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, passed away suddenly in 1879. Eiffel stepped in and ensured that the internal structure was sound, even altering the initial designs to use more modern techniques to increase strength and durability.

Today, more than 7 million people visit the Eiffel Tower each year – and more than 250 million have visited since its construction. Those picture-snapping visitors often take the daring climb up the more than 600 steps, or opt for one of the eight elevators located in the base legs of the structure. The French government now considers it a national treasure. It is repainted every seven years, and welcomes visitors 365 days a year.