The Eiffel Tower

Eiffel-tower-panorama

The Eiffel Tower (La 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. Built from 1887 to 1889 as the entrance to the Universal Exhibition of 1889, it was initially criticized by some of the greatest French artists and intellectuals for its design. But over time, the tower has become a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world.

• The Eiffel Tower is the most visited paid monument in the world; About 7 million people climb it every year.

• The Eiffel Tower is 324 meters high, roughly the same height as the 81-story building, and is the tallest structure in Paris.

• Its square base measures 125 meters on each side.

Eiffel Tower from Above

During its construction, the Eiffel Tower passed the Washington Monument to become the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years, until the completion of the Chrysler skyscraper in New York in 1930.

The tower has three levels for visitors, with restaurants on the first and second levels. The upper deck of the upper level is 276 m above the ground - the tallest viewing platform accessible to the public in the European Union. Tickets can be purchased to go up the stairs or the elevator to the first and second levels. The climb from the ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as well as the climb from the first level to the second. Although the stairs lead to the upper floor, it is usually only accessible by elevator.