It’s hard to imagine the beautiful Parisian skyline without the magnificent Eiffel Tower lighting up the night sky. It is iconic, timeless, and arguably one of the most famous manmade structures in the whole world. In its relatively short life, it has seen over 200 million visitors—more than any other paid attraction on Earth. In addition to being a highly trafficked tourist destination, it actually plays a daily role in French TV and Radio Broadcasts. In honor of our upcoming trip to the “City of Light,” I’ve compiled a list of fun facts about this truly breathtaking piece of architectural beauty.
#1 – A temporary Exhibit.
The tower itself was constructed for the 1889 World’s Fair—commemorating the 100 year anniversary of the French Revolution. It was designed by architect Gustave Eiffel, who beat out 107 other designers to win the rights to her construction. Eiffel, already famous for his contributions to the Statue of Liberty, was only given a 20 year lease for the land on which the tower stands, in the very heart of Paris. For all intents and purposes, this tower was never intended to last the test of time, but rather was constructed as a temporary exhibit.
#2 – Controversy
The Eiffel Tower was not universally accepted. In fact, many people felt that it was an eyesore that ruined Paris’s picturesque cityscape. A group of writers, painters, sculptors, and “lovers of the beauty of Paris” drafted an official protest against the construction of the tower calling it “useless and monstrous.” At the end of the 20 year lease, in 1909, it was almost torn before it was discovered that the antenna would be useful to the French during WWI. The Tower has a rich war history and was even responsible for the capture and execution of Mata Hari.
#3 – Stats
This incredible Tower took only 3 years to build, which is impressive considering the rudimentary equipment available to the architects at the time. Upon completion, the Tower originally stood 1000 ft high and with the addition of its 65 ft antenna, it became the tallest manmade structure in the world. It held its title for four decades before being surpassed in height by the Empire State Building in 1931. It has 108 stories, over 1700 stairs, and a lift.
#4 – Tower Uses
The Tower today is a massive tourist hub, but it has served many purposes throughout the years. Initially, Eiffel had designed a scientific lab atop the tower to aide in the study of astronomy, meteorology and various other scientific purposes. He even created an aerodynamic wind tunnel at the base of the tower. Today, visitors to the Eiffel Tower can dine in one of its two restaurants, 58 Eiffel Tower or Jules Verne, share a bottle of champagne at its champagne bar, enjoy a French macaron, or shop in its many souvenir shops. There is even an apartment available for rent at the very top of the Tower.
#5 – Keeping It Fresh
This gorgeous Tower definitely helps solidify Paris’s reputation as the City of Light. It is illuminated at night by over 20,000 twinkling light bulbs that sparkle every hour on the hour. It also features projected golden light after dark that gives the Tower a glowing, angelic appearance. To keep the Tower looking good, it is repainted every 7 years, and it even has its own paint color, “Eiffel Tower Brown”. It takes approximately 60 tons of this special paint to cover the tower from top to bottom.
Despite its temporary intentions, this iconic Tower seems as if it will stand the test of time. It certainly has its own special kind of magic that keeps travelers from all walks of life coming back year after year. It is truly a masterpiece of epic proportions.