The Eiffel Tower (Paris, France)

Now recognised as a historic monument, the Eiffel Tower was constructed for the 1889 Exposition Universelle—a world’s fair proposed to mark the centenary of the French Revolution—with the aim of creating a monumental gateway to the exhibition. This magnificent structure, a square-based wrought-iron lattice tower, is situated on the Champ de Mars in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, the capital of France. It takes its name from the engineer Gustave Eiffel and was designed and built by his company. As an entrepreneur, Eiffel collaborated on the Tower’s design with engineers Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, and architect Stephen Sauvestre. Constructed using a prefabrication system, the Eiffel Tower was completed in a record time of 2 years, 2 months and 5 days. Construction lasted from late January 1887 until 31 March 1889, and the Tower was opened to the public on 15 May 1889 to coincide with the Paris Exposition Universelle.

Despite its extraordinary architecture, superb design and fascinating construction technique, the Eiffel Tower was actually intended to be demolished 20 years after its completion. However, Gustave Eiffel sought a scientific justification for the Tower’s permanence from the very beginning. Eiffel’s efforts eventually bore fruit, giving him a compelling reason to prevent the Tower’s demolition. In the 1890s, the combined efforts of distinguished scientists such as Hertz, Marconi, Tesla, Branly, Popov and Tissot led to the emergence of TSF, a new wireless telegraphy technique. After the first Hertz transmission in 1895, things really picked up pace. In 1909, a permanent station was built beneath the Champ de Mars. Consequently, the Tower’s strategic importance was confirmed. Thanks to Gustave Eiffel and his brilliant team discovering the wireless telegraph and utilising it during several significant events, the decision to demolish the tower was abandoned. This was because it had been proven that this magnificent structure was of great value for radio telegraphy. In other words, what saved the Tower from demolition was its crucial function as a massive antenna. Thanks to this significant achievement from 1910 onwards, the Tower was recognised as part of the International Time Service.

All these historical developments were made possible by Eiffel setting up a meteorological laboratory on the third floor the very day after the Tower’s opening and beginning to work there diligently. As he was also passionate about aerodynamics, he conducted numerous observations on falling objects. His observations between 1903 and 1905 focused on the installation of falling apparatus. In 1905, he established another laboratory at the base of the Tower and there, in 1909, he constructed the first wind tunnel. This wind tunnel was used by the early pioneers of aviation to investigate the characteristics of wing profile sections. In recognition of this major achievement in 1913, Gustave Eiffel was awarded the Samuel P. Langley Aerodromics Medal by the Smithsonian Institution. In addition to all these significant initiatives, Eiffel also encouraged numerous scientific experiments conducted on the Tower, such as Foucault’s pendulum, the mercury manometer, physiological studies and radio communications. One such experiment was conducted by Father Theodor Wulf in 1910, who measured radiant energy at the top and base of the Tower and accidentally discovered what is now known as cosmic rays. Thus, as the Tower hosted numerous experiments of this kind, it also paved the way for significant discoveries.

The first French radio station, Radio Tour Eiffel, was born here. This radio programme was the first public radio programme in Europe. The first radio broadcasts took place in November 1921, whilst the official opening was held on 6 February 1922. The Eiffel Tower made a significant contribution to both radio and television history as a transmission tower, particularly with the broadcast of the first French television programme in 1935. TF1, which was France’s first and only television channel for 28 years, changed its name frequently following the establishment of Radio-PTT Vision in 1935. Radio-PTT Vision, meanwhile, began operations on 26 April 1935 as France’s first television station at the Eiffel Tower.

The Tower, which has been the central figure in many events throughout its history, continues to uphold this distinction today. The Tower’s role in becoming a global cultural symbol of France is largely due to its having witnessed numerous events in Paris and French life. Furthermore, with a reputation that extends beyond national borders, it is used as a symbol not only in France but across the globe. Indeed, the Eiffel Tower has featured in various films, inspired architectural designs, appeared in news reports and been modelled. The Tower, which has been the subject of extensive writing and illustration, continues to be frequently mentioned in many fields of art and literature, particularly in poetry and novels.

As one of the world’s most recognisable structures, the Eiffel Tower is also one of the most iconic symbols of architecture and engineering. There are numerous replicas of the Tower, built on various scales in different parts of the world. Standing at 330 metres (1,083 ft) tall, the Eiffel Tower is the same height as an approximately 81-storey building and is the tallest structure in Paris. It also held the title of the world’s tallest building for 41 years, until the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930. It retained its status as the world’s tallest tower until 1958, the year the Tokyo Tower was completed. Today, the Eiffel Tower is France’s second-tallest free-standing structure—excluding transmission masts—after the Millau Viaduct. It also boasts the highest observation deck accessible to the public among European Union countries.

Designated a ‘historic monument’ in 1964, the Eiffel Tower is currently the world’s most visited monument in terms of admission fees. It also shares the same nickname as Margaret Thatcher, who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the late 1970s, and is known as the ‘Iron Lady’. In 1986, the American Society of Civil Engineers included the Tower in its list of historic milestones in engineering. In 1991, the Eiffel Tower was selected as part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.

With its daytime appearance and colourful night-time illumination, the Eiffel Tower looks magnificent at all times of the day. It has three levels open to the public: the first floor, the second floor and the summit. The second floor and the summit each consist of two levels. Whilst the lower level is enclosed, the upper level is open to the outside. There are restaurants for visitors on the first and second floors. The first floor houses Madame Brasserie, whilst the second floor features Le Jules Verne, a gourmet restaurant with its own lift. This restaurant holds one star in the Michelin Red Guide. Gustave Eiffel’s historic office is also located on the third floor of the Tower. This space, featuring lifelike wax figures, immortalises the moment when Eiffel and his daughter Claire welcomed the famous American inventor Thomas Edison. Aside from the many historical artefacts in this room with its impressive atmosphere, the phonograph gifted to Gustave Eiffel by Thomas Edison is particularly fascinating. The Eiffel Tower is highly appealing, thanks to the beautiful restaurants, shops and other services it houses.

With its magnificent structure and fascinating history, the Eiffel Tower leaves everyone in awe; it remains one of the most popular tourist destinations and is certainly well worth a visit. Thanks to its breathtaking views of Paris and romantic atmosphere, the Eiffel Tower provides the setting for countless unforgettable moments and is visited by millions of people every year.