For instance, did you know that it took 18,038 pieces of iron fitted together with three million rivets to build the Eiffel Tower? Initial plans for the Eiffel Tower stated that it was only intended to stand for 20 years but, in 1909, it was given the green light to remain. You can unsubscribe at any time. Construction of the Eiffel Tower required 7,300 tonnes of iron, the sweat of more than 300 labourers, and a fleet of steam-powered cranes and hydraulic jacks to manoeuvre the giant girders.

So in fact, who designed the Eiffel Tower? Furthermore, did you know that many scientific and weather-related experiments were conducted atop the tower? During World War I, the Tower’s radiotelegraphic transmitter was used to intercept enemy communications and even helped uncover the double agent Mata Hari. Before Waterloo: what happened at the Duchess of Richmond’s ball? The tower was the brainchild of entrepreneur Gustave Eiffel, architect Stephen Sauvestre, and engineers Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier. By no coincidence, it was Alexander Gustave Eiffel, born December 15, 1832. Its creator, Gustave Eiffel, unfurled the Tricolore on the third level, signalling that the wrought-iron edifice was now open. So now that we know who designed the Eiffel Tower, the next question is why it was built. In fact, had this use not been discovered, the Eiffel Tower in its early years would have faced demolition. So now that we know who designed the Eiffel Tower, the next question is why it was built. Lit by 10,000 gas lamps, it was a spectacle unlike anything the world had seen before; today it is one of the most visited monuments in the world, welcoming almost seven million people every year.

Find out more about its construction here, with this guide from BBC History Revealed. These events brought Gustav Eiffel and his plans to Paris, where the tower was initially constructed as a showpiece for the 1889 Paris Exhibition, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. Copyright © 2011-2012. Eiffel’s reputation preceded him – he owned a metal works business and was the genius behind the steelwork frame of New York’s Statue of Liberty, built three years earlier. If you're curiosity about the Eiffel Tower has been peaked, do some reading about Eiffel Tower facts and history, where you will learn more about the man who designed the Eiffel Tower, the name of the three men who helped him in his endeavor, how many steps it takes to climb to the top of the tower, the name of the restaurants you can enjoy while you're there, how the tower is maintained, and much more. You have successfully linked your account! The truth is that this iconic structure was slated to be built for the 1888 Universal Exposition in Barcelona, Spain. However the Barcelona City Hall voted against the proposal, claiming the tower was too expensive and did not suit the style of the city. In the intervening two decades it had proven vital in sending wireless telegraph messages around the world. Work began in January 1887, and was completed relatively quickly, in just 796 days, a feat that trumpeted French industrial accomplishment as much as the completed tower itself. The structure became an astronomical observation point, as well as a beacon and communications post. It is located on the banks of the river Siene, in the Champ de Mars. The Times of India News App for Latest Sunday Times News, Copyright © 2020 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. At 300m high, it immediately entered the records books as the tallest structure in the world, a position it held until the unveiling of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930. After studying architectural engineering, it wasn't long before he began to enthrall the world with his masterful creations. The tower was the brainchild of entrepreneur Gustave Eiffel, architect Stephen Sauvestre, and engineers Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier. This content first appeared in the March 2020 issue of BBC History Revealed.

The structure stands at an astounding 1,056 feet and its latticed tower is visible from any part of the City of Paris! Use this search feature to quickly find the information you're looking for: Didn't find what you were looking for? Novelist Guy de Maupassant would often eat in one of the restaurants at the base of the Eiffel Tower, as it was the only place he could do so without having to look at it. Thanks! Now if you answered the question, who designed the Eiffel Tower, correctly, see if you are familiar with this next little-known piece of information. From ‘eyesore’ to icon: a brief history of the Eiffel Tower. The official website for BBC History Magazine, BBC History Revealed and BBC World Histories Magazine, The wrought-iron lattice Eiffel Tower is now an iconic part of the Paris skyline – but when it was first built in the late 19th century, it faced opposition, with some branding the design an 'eyesore'.

But the Tower became much more than a tourist attraction, doubling as a testing ground for serious scientific experiments that proved its wider worth. Eiffel’s reputation preceded him – he owned a metal works business and was the genius behind the steelwork frame of New York’s Statue of Liberty, built three years earlier. During the Nazi occupation of France, Adolf Hitler called for the Eiffel Tower’s demolition. He started building this humongous tower in 1889. On 31 March 1889, after two years, two months and five days of construction the world welcomed the newest addition to the Paris skyline: the Eiffel Tower. visit-and-travel-france.com. The Eiffel Tower (1887–89), the most important emblem of the Paris exhibition of 1889, was designed by Gustave Eiffel, an engineer who had done outstanding work in the Paris Exposition of 1878 and in steel structures such as the trussed parabolic arches in the viaduct at… Even before designing the Eiffel Tower (built between 1887 and1889), this same person had earned his name as an expert in building metal bridges and railways. Such longevity comes at a price, however.

Our best wishes for a productive day. Along with other Parisian artists and authors, de Maupassant wrote a letter to the city’s government protesting against the construction. The Eiffel Tower in Paris was designed by Gustave Eiffel, the famous French engineer and designer. Everything you ever wanted to know about... Notre-Dame cathedral: 10 historical facts, Les Parisiennes: how the women of Paris lived, loved and died in the 1940s. Why did Vincent van Gogh cut off his ear? If you subscribe to BBC History Magazine Print or Digital Editions then you can unlock 10 years’ worth of archived history material fully searchable by Topic, Location, Period and Person. At the base of the Eiffel Tower were four wooden pavilions, which housed restaurants to serve visitors to the exposition, each of which could seat 500 people. Did you know that the top of the Eiffel Tower to this day is used as a radio transmission tower, weather station, and navigation point? How did knights in armour go to the toilet? Thankfully for its fans, the order was not carried out. Photo by: Lupo. Today the Eiffel Tower is a source of pride and national identity for the people of France and it brings millions of visitors to the region every year.

The Palace of Versailles: Sun King Louis XIV’s ultimate power play, Napoleon Bonaparte: the rise and fall of a dictator. Moreover, the Eiffel Tower has been deemed one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is said to be the most recognizable structure on earth. To symbolically ensure the Tower’s place in science history, Eiffel had the names of 72 scientists, mathematicians and engineers engraved into the Tower’s arches during construction.

DID YOU KNOW? Gustave Eiffel installed a laboratory within the structure and invited scientists to use it: a version of Foucault’s pendulum was installed to demonstrate the Earth’s rotation, and a wind tunnel was also built beside it. Most people don't know this, but the Eiffel Tower – otherwise known as the Lady of Iron – was conceived of and designed by same engineer who is credited with designing the Statue of Liberty in the year 1885! The Eiffel Tower (and the 2.5 million rivets holding it together) have to be repainted every seven years – by hand – and though the 10,000 gas lamps are long gone, 20,000 golden bulbs now illuminate it. The men who changed Henry VIII’s underpants. Use this search feature to find it. The Eiffel Tower, 1889. The fair was to be a showcase of technology and innovation, and it was suggested that a suitably awe-inducing structure be built to demonstrate French technological prowess – and, by virtue of its position on Champ de Mars, serve as a gateway to the exhibition. There seems to be a problem, please try again. The purpose was to showcase the technological advancements and beauty of France, however the tower wasn't meant to stand for more than three years. Nitish Kumar says ‘halla mat karo,’ when Lalu Prasad zindabad slogans raised in rally, Kiara wants Hrithik and Aditya to 'never take a shower ever', Bihar elections: PM Modi praises Nitish Kumar for 'sushasan', takes dig at Lalu Yadav, Interview with Table Tennis Champion Harmeet Desai, Miss Diva Universe 2019 Vartika Singh at Hyatt Regency Lucknow, Shefali Sood and Varun Verma during Press Conference at Aloft New Delhi Aerocity, 5 foods consumed during Navratri that you should be eating the whole year, Amazon Sale: Up to Rs 35,000 Off on laptops, desktops, internal storage & more, Exquisite Banarasi sarees for women for festive dressing, Terms of Use and Grievance Redressal Policy. Not everyone was so welcoming of the new structure – many Parisians thought the Tower was an eyesore that clashed with the older, grander architecture of the French capital. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service.

Who were the Knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legend, and where does the Holy Grail fit in? They are likely to have been very busy indeed, as the Tower received 1,953,122 visitors during the almost six months of that year’s World’s Fair. Out of 107 proposed designs, Eiffel’s tower was chosen to represent the 1889 World’s Fair (the Exposition Universelle), and commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. Yet despite initial opposition by the people of Paris, appreciation for the magnificent tower and its rare architectural model grew. He built the 525-feet-long Ponte Maria Pia Bridge in Portugal, as well as the Garabit viaduct railway bridge in 1884. Despite its world-wide fame, most people aren't familiar with the history of the Eiffel Tower. By entering your details, you are agreeing to HistoryExtra terms and conditions. Moreover, the Eiffel Tower has been deemed one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is said to be the most recognizable structure on earth.