Travel Advices and Tourism Reviews

The Eiffel Tower is the undisputed symbol of Paris, France, and even dare to say that in Europe. Is surely the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Paris. And this tower, designed and built in the Roaring Twenties, “gradually took that privileged place that until then disputed the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame and the Louvre.

The Eiffel Tower was built for the Universal Exhibition of 1889 to be held in commemoration of the centenary of the French Revolution. Gustave Eiffel and his company were the entrepreneurs of such a project starting in 1887 was completed in March 1889, just over two years later. The work generated no little controversy, especially among artists of the time, who thought of the tower as an “iron monster” in the middle of the city of romance.

When talking about technical features, the tower is a huge metal structure weighing about 10,000 tons and its height was originally 300 feet, is now 324 meters, including radio and television antenna was added much later. Employ some 200 workers who joined more than 18,000 pieces of iron with 2 million bolts. The foundation measure 30 meters in depth, due to the proximity to the river and the nature of the subsoil.

It consists of three levels, can be accessed through the first two steps, should be encouragement to join the 1665 steps up! Otherwise you can take the elevator, which normally have long queues …

In the first level, 57 meters, operate a post office, where you can send postcards with the special stamp “Paris Tour Eiffel,” the restaurant “Altitude 95″, a souvenir shop, the reception hall and conferences “Gustave Eiffel”, the Cineiffel, exhibitions with photos of the tower, and of course the gallery from which you can take panoramic pictures of Paris.

The second level is 115 meters above the ground and from there partly lift to the third level. There are a few souvenir shops, restaurant Jules Verne and above all, the views of the city are spectacular.

At 276 meters, after rising 160 meters into the lift, you reach the third level, where the views are absolutely extraordinary. At this level there is a recreation of workplace Gustave Eiffel, with wax figures of Eiffel and his daughter Claire to receive the inventor Thomas Edison, and of Gustave Eiffel and his two engineers Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier.

When it authorized the construction of the tower, Gustave Eiffel was to undertake the project with its own funds and the city government would allow the operation of the tower during the term of 20 years, after which the tower would become part of heritage Paris. The play was a successful first year, but these were no better or even equal to the first.

The fate of the tower after 20 years seemed to be none other than destruction. That’s why Eiffel emphasized the great scientific benefits of such a structure could provide (to the construction of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930 the tower was the tallest building in the world) and made to install a weather station top and, later, a telegraph antenna, whose benefits were highly tested at military level. Thus saved Eiffel tower. From 1921 he began to broadcast radio and television time came.

Only since the ’60s becomes a tourist attraction with the influx of the international public. Of all the sights of Paris, one can say that the Eiffel Tower is one of the few that remain far from immutable over time evolves and innovates, either with changes in paint color, either with lighting effects.

When opened to the public in May 1889 visited until the end of the year about 2 million people currently are 6 million tourists who visit annually. Since its inauguration and the end of 2005 are being counted more than 220 million visitors!

Source: www.mundocity.com/europa/paris/torre-eiffel.html
image source: www.world-city-photos.org/Paris/Eiffel_Tower/Pictures_of_Eiffel_Tower_black_and_white.jpg; http://funguerilla.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/eiffel-tower-paris.jpg; http://viterbivoices.usc.edu/evans/files/2010/05/Beneath-the-Eiffel-Tower_-Paris_-France.jpg