The Eiffel Tower is the most famous architectural landmark in Paris, known as the symbol of France, erected on the Champ de Mars and named after its designer Gustaf Eiffel.
It is the most recognizable and tallest building in Paris, its height together with the new antenna is 324 meters, which is approximately equal to the building of 81 floors!
The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 and has an amazing history of origin. In 1889, in Paris, in memory of the centenary of the French Revolution, the World Exhibition was held, it was thanks to the exhibition that the city authorities commissioned to invent and erect a temporary structure serving as an entrance arch.
The end of the 19th century was marked by many inventions that radically changed human life: from the telephone to racing cars. The "Grand Iron Lady" by Gustave Eiffel became the personification of the creative upsurge of that period, sometimes called the "spring of technology", and symbolized the beginning of large-scale changes in the life of mankind, which continue to this day.
In Great Britain, cast iron structures were first used in construction in 1779, in France in 1803. Around 1845, durable ductile iron heralded future changes in construction concepts. The use of metal in architecture has become one of the most original forms of creative expression in the 19th century. Due to its lightness and strength, it allowed the fast and economical construction of tall structures.
An all-French competition for architectural and engineering projects, which were to determine the architectural appearance of the future World Exhibition, has started May 1, 1886. The competition was attended by 107 applicants, most of which, to one degree or another, have already repeated the design of the tower proposed by Eiffel... Thus the project Eiffel becomes one of the four winners, and then the engineer makes the final changes to it, finding a compromise between the original purely engineering design scheme and the decorative option.
Participants' projects must meet two main requirements:
Self-sufficiency;
Possibility of dismantling at the end of the World Exhibition.
Oddly enough, a similar design for the construction of the tower was drawn up by two chief engineers of the Eiffel company ( Maurice Koehlen and Emile Nugier) back in June 1884, long before the competition was announced by the French government. It had the shape of a high pyramidal column with four supports in the lower part, as it was raised, the top of the column was joined together. The tower project was a bold transfer of the basic principles of bridge building to a height of 300 meters, equivalent to the symbolic figure of 1000 feet.
On May 1, 1886, consideration of architectural and engineering projects began, defining the architectural appearance of the future World Exhibition. 107 applicants take part in the competition. The preference was given to the project of Gustave Eiffel.
But in order for the tower to be noted for greater sophistication and meet the tastes of the demanding Parisian public, the architect Stefan Sovestre was commissioned to work on her artistic appearance. He proposed to sheathe the basement pillars of the tower with stone, tie its pillars and the ground floor platform with the help of majestic arches, which would simultaneously become the main entrance to the exhibition, place spacious glazed halls on the tower floors, give the top of the tower a rounded shape and use various decorative elements to decorate it. ...
The Executive Committee for the Exhibition provided only about a quarter of the necessary funds for the construction. Gustav struck a deal that made him a very wealthy man: he agreed to finance the construction of the tower from his own funds, but insisted on sole control and profit for twenty years. An agreement was reached. It was a surprise to everyone that all the costs of its construction paid off within the first year of operation.
In January 1887, the Eiffel, the state and the municipality of Paris signed an agreement, according to which Eiffel was granted an operational lease of the tower for 25 years for personal use, and also provided for the payment of a cash subsidy in the amount of 1.5 million gold francs, which amounted to 25% of all construction costs. towers. The final construction budget was 7.8 million francs.
All components of the tower were manufactured at the Eiffel plant in Levallois-Perret near Paris. Each of the 18,000 parts was calculated and drawn to the nearest tenth of a millimeter.
300 workers carried out construction work for two years, two months and five days. The blueprints contributed to the record-breaking construction time. High Quality with exact dimensions. And already on March 31, 1889, less than 26 months after the start of digging the pits, Eiffel invited several more or less physically hardy officials to the first ascent of 1,710 steps!
The construction was a tremendous and immediate success. For six months of the exhibition, see "Iron lady" came over 2 million visitors.
But also opponents have Eiffel tower also enough, from the very beginning of its construction. The creative intelligentsia of Paris and France acted in such a face, they feared that the metal structure would suppress the architecture of the city, violate the unique style of the capital, which had developed over the centuries, in connection with which they sent indignation and demands to the mayor's office of Paris to stop the construction of the tower, and after the construction of the demand dismantling.
Protests preceded the construction of such prominent structures as National center art and culture named after Georges Pompidou and the Pyramid of the Louvre Museum, but over time the Parisians quickly got used to it and changed their attitude.
The article "Protest against the construction of the tower of Monsieur Eiffel" published in the newspaper Le Temps, addressed to the appointed director of the organization of the World Exhibition, Monsieur Alfand, was indicative. The article was signed by a number of big names in the world of literature and art: Maupassant, Emile Zola, Charles Garnier, Alexandre Dumas Jr. The letter, in particular, stated: "We, writers, painters, sculptors, architects and lovers of the beauty of Paris, sincerely express our outrage in the name of defending French style, architecture and history, against the inappropriate and terrible Eiffel Tower."
Other critics of the project went even further, publishing articles with offensive language: "the tallest lamp post in the world", "iron monster", "skeleton of a bell tower", "metal support of a gymnastic apparatus unfinished, confused and deformed", "tall and thin pyramid iron stairs, this gigantic clumsy skeleton on a foundation, built, apparently, in order to support the huge Cyclops monument "," unfinished factory chimney, grill in the form of a bell tower, a sieve in the form of a candle ".
But from the demolition planned under the contract, 20 years after the exhibition, the tower was saved by radio antennas installed at the very top - this was the era of the introduction of radio!
Throughout its history, the tower has repeatedly changed its paint color - from yellow to red-brown. The last decades The Eiffel Tower invariably painted in the so-called "Brown-eiffel"- officially patented color close to the natural shade of bronze
Weight of the metal structure of the tower - 7 300 tons(full weight 10 100 tons).
The lower floor is a pyramid formed by 4 columns, connected by an arched vault at a height of 57.63 meters; on the vault is the first platform Eiffel tower, which is a square. 
On this platform, the second pyramid-tower rises, also formed by 4 columns, connected by a vault on which the second platform is located.
Four columns, towering on the second platform, converging pyramidally and gradually intertwining, form a colossal pyramidal column carrying the third platform, also square in shape; a lighthouse with a dome rises on it, above which there is a platform at an altitude of 300 meters. There are 1,792 steps and elevators leading to the tower.
The halls of the restaurant were built on the first platform; on the second platform, tanks with machine oil for the elevator and a restaurant in the glass gallery. The third platform housed the astronomical and meteorological observatories and the physics room. The light of the lighthouse was visible at a distance of 10 kilometers!
By some estimates, the Eiffel Tower has been visited by over 200,000,000 people since its construction in 1889! It is the most visited tourist attraction in the world!
The creator of the tower often spoke with humor about his creation: “I should have felt jealous of the tower. After all, she is much more famous than me "... A gilded bust of Gustave Eiffel is installed at the northern "leg" of the tower with a simple inscription: "Eiffel: 1832 - 1923".
Eiffel's career as an entrepreneur ended with the failure of the Panama Canal project, where he worked as an engineer and supplied machines made at his Levallois-Perret engineering plant near Paris. Gustav was accused of fraud related to the construction of the Panama Canal, the court sentenced him to 2 years in prison and a 20,000 francs fine. The cassation court, however, overturned the verdict due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
Since then, Eiffel has devoted all his time to the work of the tower and conducting various scientific experiments. After the first successful transmissions of radio signals in 1898, Eiffel made an offer to the French military leadership to use the tower as a radio antenna to transmit signals over long distances. Indeed, it was thanks to these experiments that the Eiffel Tower continued to exist, since it was designed to stand for only 20 years, until 1909, and then they were going to dismantle it! Even before 1909, they tried to dismantle it several times. Eiffel himself saved from dismantling, convincing the military leadership of the advisability of using it to transmit radio signals. It is the Eiffel that the world owes to the preservation of one of the most beautiful towers and engineering wonders in the history of mankind. Recognized for scientific practicality, it has won the right to be preserved as a monument. Today, the Eiffel Tower has several dozen antennas, including a 324-meter television antenna.
Eiffel could not have imagined that the implementation of his project would become a world famous symbol of Paris, reproduced in various parts of the world. As one of the most iconic figures in the world, the Eiffel Tower has become the inspiration for many similar structures around the planet. A copy of the tower was built in more than 30 cities around the world, including Las Vegas, Tokyo, Berlin. It is inextricably linked to what we today call "The Seventh Art": cinema. Eiffel wanted to use the image of the tower for his own commercial interests, but, faced with general protest, he gave up his rights and allowed the symbol to become public domain.
In 2003, the "Iron Lady" was visited by 200 million visitors for 114 years of its existence. Royals, movie stars, tourists, world celebrities, travelers - these "citizens of the Eiffel Tower" have all become part of the history of one of the most famous landmarks of the French capital. Along with the Egyptian pyramids, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Acropolis, the Colosseum and the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower evokes the curiosity and admiration of millions. Since 1998, more than 6 million people visit this architectural monument annually! This is the most recognized architectural structure the world.
The history of the tower is inextricably linked with many historical events France. Thus, during the Second World War, she was an “ally” of the French resistance. After the occupation of Paris in 1940, the French disabled all the elevators, and as a result, Hitler was never able to climb the tower during his “triumphant visit” to Paris, limiting himself to photographing against its background. Remembering this episode, in France they say “The Tower defeated Hitler”. By the way, the Germans could not really fix their flag on its top. Again, due to the lack of the opportunity to climb to the very top of the structure. Broken elevators, which the German occupiers were unable to repair for several years, strangely started working literally the day after the liberation of Paris.
The size and shape of the Eiffel Tower has been used to create sophisticated and original lighting innovations. It served as a Parisian lighthouse, advertising signs, lighting devices were installed on it, it was turned into a New Year tree and a fireworks theater. Its artificial illumination has been constantly evolving and improving over the years, using the most modern advances in lighting: from gas to electricity, from incandescent lamps to neon and sodium lamps.
The Eiffel Tower was first illuminated on its opening day in 1889. Then the lighting consisted of 10 thousand gas lanterns, two searchlights and a lighthouse installed at the top, the light of which symbolized the color of the national flag of France: blue, white and red. In 1900, electric lamps appeared on the structures of the Iron Lady. In 1925, André Citroën placed an advertisement on the tower, which he named “The Eiffel Tower on Fire”. 125 thousand light bulbs alternately depicted the silhouette of the tower, the rain of stars, the flight of comets, the signs of the zodiac, the year the tower was created, the current year and, finally, the name of Citroen. This promotion continued until 1934 and the tower became the world's tallest advertising space.
The new lighting system was officially inaugurated on December 31, 1985. Created by Per Bidault, lighting designer, it consisted of 336 sodium lamps that illuminated the tower in a yellowish color. Beams of light directed upwards illuminated her frame from the inside. This system replaced the previous one, established back in 1958 and was universally recognized in the world. A lot others big cities began to use a similar system to illuminate their monuments at night. In the summer of 2003, the tower “dressed” in new lighting robes. For several months, a team of thirty climbers entangled the structures of the tower with 40 kilometers of wires and installed 20 thousand light bulbs, made by special order of one of the French companies. The new illumination, which cost 4.6 million euros, resembled the lighting on New Year's Eve 2000.
On May 9, 2006, in honor of the 20th anniversary of Europe Day, the Eiffel Tower was illuminated in blue for the first time for a short period. And from July 1 to December 31, 2008, during the presidency of the French president in the Council of the European Union, for a long time, it radically changed its traditional lighting.
Visitors can use stairs or elevators to climb the Eiffel Tower.
The stairs are open to all comers and lead only to the second floor landing (115 m).
There are three elevators in the tower, but all together they never work due to the daily maintenance and safety issues.
To reach the summit (276 m), visitors must take another lift from the second floor. A wonderful panorama of Paris opens up from above. During the largest influx of tourists (May-September), you have to wait a long time in line to go upstairs.
The Eiffel Tower store offers a large selection of souvenirs, the main theme is Paris, the Iron Lady, key chains, postcards, medals, stationery, clothes, dishes. Most of these items can only be purchased here.
The Eiffel Tower has two restaurants on the second floor with panoramic views of the city, and a bar at the very top.
In winter, a small ice rink is opened on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.
The tower is open every day all year round, seven days a week:
At Easter and during spring break the tower remains open until midnight.
Access to the top of the tower may be temporarily closed due to unfavorable weather conditions or a large influx of visitors.
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sources
http://tourist-area.com
http://eifeleva-bashnya.ru
The original article is on the site InfoGlaz.rf The link to the article this copy was made from isThe most grandiose, famous, shocking building in Paris, of course, is the Eiffel Tower. Since its inception in 1889 as an arch for the World's Fair of the Bastille, it has been in the spotlight to this day. It was also recognized as an important link in the French economy and a valuable asset in Europe.
The story of the tower's creation! Although the engineer Gustave Eiffel suggested dismantling the tower after twenty years of its construction, as we see, it continues to rise majestically on the Champ de Mars to this day.
Book a table at a restaurant on the Eiffel Tower
The most interesting thing is that the idea of the design did not belong to Eiffel, but to Maurice Köschlen, his colleague in the engineering bureau. It was in the old drawings of Maurice that the leading engineer found the sketch of the tower that interested him.
Together with other employees, Eiffel finalizes the idea, draws up a joint patent, sends drawings to the competition, and wins. Subsequently, he buys out the ownership rights, and becomes their sole owner.
An amazing fact is that during the work on the scheme of the structure, the research of Hermann von Mayer, a Swiss professor of paleontology of the 19th century, was taken as a basis. He studied the structure of the femur, namely its head in the place of bending and connection with the joint at an angle.
He concluded that thanks to the many small appendages of the strict geometric shape with which it is covered, the weight of the body is evenly distributed, preventing fractures.
It was these studies by Mayer 20 years later that inspired the designers of the famous tower to give it such a stable shape. Even with a strong wind, the top deflects only 12 cm, and if it is hot in the sun - 18 cm due to the expansion of the metal.
Work on the image
The original appearance of the steel lady was exclusively a model of the technological progress of her time, and looked too conservative. To win the competition, it was necessary to refine the structure with decorative elements, to make it more sophisticated.
Gustave proposed to decorate the tower pillars with stone, to make the arches a connecting link between the pillars and the lower floor, and also to turn them into the main entrance to the exhibition. The levels were also supposed to be transformed and become functional thanks to the glazed halls, and the top was to acquire a rounded shape along with other decorations.
When the scheme found all these innovations, the jury approved the Eiffel plan, and he received the green light for construction. Feeling a surge of enthusiasm after the first victory, he exclaimed that now France will become the only owner of a 300-meter flagpole in the world.
To be or not to be - the opinion of the bohemian
The enthusiasm, however, was not shared by the creative elite, considering the future construction to be offensive to the eye. The city's mayor's office received letters with the demand to prevent the construction of such a monstrous structure, claiming that the Eiffel Tower in Paris would be a huge mistake, a repulsive spot hanging over the city, and not combined with other architecture.
About three hundred painters, architects, musicians and writers made a protest, sending it to the city authorities, where they urged the commission to come to their senses in colorful expressions: “For 20 years we will be forced to look at the disgusting shadow of the blot".
The petition was signed by Charles Gounod, Dumas the son, and the famous novelist Guy de Maupassant. However, subsequently, Maupassant repeatedly visited the restaurant, which is now called "Jules Verne". When the novelist was asked why he came there, if he did not like the Eiffel Tower so much, he said that there was no longer a place in Paris where this damn thing could not be seen.
However, not all were so ardent opponents. It made a completely different impression on Thomas Edison, and in the guestbook he wrote a welcome speech to its creator.
Particulars of construction: figures and facts
It all began in 1887 on January 28, and the last day that completed the construction was December 31, 1889. For such a colossal project, this was a record time, considering that the height of the Eiffel Tower was 300 meters.
Tower construction! There was no technology capable of lifting parts weighing up to 3 tons to this height, and therefore Eiffel had to additionally invent special mobile cranes. Also, to speed up the work, most of the elements were made in advance, and holes were drilled in them, into which the connecting rivets were installed.
Eiffel demonstrated unique precision in drawing up. There were 1700 general and 3629 detailed ones, and their accuracy was 0.1 mm (with such clarity today 3D printers print). This is comparable to admirable work of jewelry or magic, especially in this age of high technology.
Inner world
Once in Paris, it is difficult to avoid the temptation to look at the city of love from the height of the most famous Parisian woman. On the initial two platforms, which are located at the tops of 57.63 and 115.73 m; you can visit restaurants, have a glass of sparkling wine or order lunch.
On the third level, located at 276.13 m, visitors will find a bar, an astronomical and meteorological observatory. The tower is crowned with a lighthouse with a dome, the light of which reaches 10 km.
Rise to the 3rd level
1,792 steps ascend to the top, but you are unlikely to want to make such a serious ascent, especially since two Fives-Lill elevators were built for this in 1899, and passengers, having climbed to the 175 m mark, went to another cabin ...
Lift to the 2nd floor The first machines operated on hydraulic pumps, but since their use was not possible in winter, Otis electric motors were replaced in 1983, and the hydraulics are displayed as an exhibit to tourists.
Apartments by Gustave Eiffel
At the very top there is another room - an apartment that was built specifically for the Eiffel. Although the square is quite spacious, it is simply furnished with the taste of a 19th century man. It has separate rooms, furniture, carpets, and even a piano - compulsory subject elite of that time.
When the apartment became known in the city, there were people who wanted to buy it out, or at least spend the night there, offering substantial sums, but Eiffel always refused such offers.
While in Paris, the engineer often arranged meetings with rich and famous people in his favorite hideout. Edison also visited it, and for ten hours a couple of inventors for cognac and cigars found many fascinating topics for discussion, including the phonograph - a fresh invention of the famous American.
In captivity, but with his head held high
Eiffel Tower, 1940 - The lift mechanism unexpectedly breaks down. This trouble happened just before the arrival of Adolf Hitler. Since the war was going on, there was nowhere to get new parts for it, and the Fuhrer could only trample at the feet of the obstinate Parisian woman. On this occasion, the poets did not miss the opportunity to say: "Hitler conquered France, but he could not conquer the Eiffel Tower."
Hitler planned to transmit radio signals from the lighthouse to his military units and broadcast agitation in Paris, but he was especially disturbed by the thought that the flag waving on the top spire would be perfectly visible in all corners of the city.
At the end of the summer of 1944, Hitler, annoyed that he had not been able to climb to the top, gives Colonel-General Dietrich von Choltitz the order to destroy the proud woman who did not submit along with the rest of the sights of Paris.
However, the order was never carried out, and when the invaders left the city, the elevators, which had stopped for several years, started working again in a couple of hours, and the news of this was broadcast by radio from the tower.
The height of the Eiffel Tower!
For 40 years, the Eiffel Tower had no competitors in height in the whole world, and only in 1930 lost the palm to the Chrysler Building in New York. Today its height reaches 324 m due to the antenna installed in 2010.
Height In reality and in the photo, the tower looks like a slender, sophisticated, charming beauty. As a true Frenchwoman, she likes to radically change her image from time to time, and has already managed to try on several outfits. She was painted in different colors that ranged from yellow to reddish brown.
Now, a unique “brown-eiffel” tone, which is the closest to a bronze shade, has been specially developed and patented for her. Every 7 years it is repainted to protect the metal from corrosion, and old parts are replaced with new ones made of a lighter but stronger alloy.
Night beauty
The iron lady also loves to shine, and at the time of her own premiere in 1889, she sparkled with tens of thousands of gas lanterns, a pair of searchlights and a lighthouse, the rays of which had the color of three shades of the national flag. A year later, electric lights sparkled on it, and in 1925 it became the most ambitious advertising platform for André Citroen.
The advertisement was called: "Tower on fire", and thanks to 125 new light bulbs, a silhouette first lit up on it, then it was replaced by a star rain, which smoothly turned into a flight of comets and zodiac symbols, then the year of birth of the tower followed, the current year, and at the end the surname appeared Citroen. Advertising worked until 1934.
The Parisian fashionista received her golden dress on the last day of 1985, and in 2003 silver lights were added to this noble shine. It took 4.6 million €, 20 thousand light bulbs, 40 km of wires, 30 people and several months of work. Another memorable outfit the tower wore from early July to late December 2008, which looked like the flag of Europe - a circle of 12 gold stars on a blue background.
The brainchild of Gustave Eiffel and today remains a wonderful wonder of the world. A copy of the Eiffel Tower stands in many cities: Copenhagen, Las Vegas, Varna, the Chinese city of Guangzhou, and Aktau in Kazakhstan.
Replica in Las Vegas In the first 12 months of its existence, it fully recouped its construction costs thanks to its visitors, and remains the most popular tourist attraction. Millions of people come to see her every year, and by 2002 this number exceeded 200 million.
Observation deck
City of dreams and bubbles of champagne
To spend time in the company of the Eiffel Tower as long as possible, tickets for the tour and the restaurant can be booked in advance. Several buffets, a bar and a couple of cozy restaurants will allow you to enjoy delicious food, drinks and views of Paris.
On the ground floor, you can visit the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant, eat a sandwich, fries, croissant, drink juice or coffee, paying only 18 € for lunch. In the evening, there are several main courses and desserts to choose from, but the price increases to 82 € per person.
On the same level, there are also ordinary buffets, in which a glass of juice and a slice of pizza will not exceed € 7-8.
Restaurant "Jules Verne" (Le Jules Verne) But, if once in the most romantic place on earth, you do not intend to save on pleasures, then visit the luxurious restaurant "Jules Verne" on the second level. Lunch will cost at least 85 € per person, and dinner with lobsters - at least 200 €.
View from the tower at night
Paris at night from the observation deck Eiffel Tower on the map
However, you can get pleasure without visiting such expensive establishments. Climbing to the third level, grab a glass of champagne at the Champagne Bar, take a bird's eye view of Paris, and feel the exclusivity of this moment.
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The exact address: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris
Working hours: From 9:30 to 23:00, in summer from 9:00 to 00:00
Tickets
Entrance to the lift (up to the 2nd floor): adults - 11 €, 12-14 years old - 8.5 €, children and disabled people - 4 €.
Up to the top: adults - 17 €, 12-14 years old - 14.5 €, children and disabled people - 8 €.
On the stairs to the 2nd floor: adults - 7 €, 12-14 years old - 5 €, children and disabled people - 3 €.
Photo
Photogallery Eiffel Tower!
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Holidays in November
Eiffel tower at night photo
Eiffel tower
general information
Originally conceived as a temporary building, the Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of France and an object of admiration. However, the history of the creation and construction of the impressive structure was dramatic. For many Parisians, the tower only caused negative emotions- the townspeople believed that such a tall structure would not fit into the look of their beloved capital or would collapse altogether. But over time, the French appreciated the Eiffel Tower and fell in love with it. Today, thousands of people are photographed against the background of the famous landmark, all lovers strive for it in order to spend unforgettable moments. Every girl who has been assigned a date at the Eiffel Tower hopes that it is there, taking all Paris as witnesses, that her beloved will propose to her.
History of the Eiffel Tower
1886 year. In three years, the World Industrial Exhibition EXPO will start working in Paris. The organizers of the exposition announced a competition for a temporary architectural structure that would serve as an entrance to the exhibition and personify the technical revolution of its time, the beginning of grandiose transformations in the life of mankind. The proposed building had to meet the following requirements - to generate income and be easily dismantled. More than 100 contestants took part in the creative competition, which started in May 1886. Some of the designs were quite bizarre - for example, a huge guillotine, reminiscent of the revolution, or a tower built entirely of stone. Among the participants in the competition was the engineer and designer Gustave Eiffel, who proposed a project of a 300-meter metal structure that was completely unusual for that time. He got the very idea of the tower from the drawings of his company's employees, Maurice Koehlen and Emil Nugier.
Construction of the Eiffel Tower, 1887-1889
It was proposed to make the structure from ductile iron, which was at that time the most progressive and economical building material. The Eiffel project was among the four winners. Thanks to some changes made by the engineer to the decoration of the tower, the organizers of the competition gave preference to his "Iron Lady".
Stefan Sauvestre was responsible for the development of the artistic appearance of the Eiffel Tower. To give the cast-iron structure more sophistication, the architect suggested adding arches between the pillars of the first floor. They symbolized the entrance to the exhibition and made the building more elegant. In addition, Sovestr planned to arrange spacious glazed halls on various floors of the building, and round the top of the tower a little.
The construction of the tower required 7.8 million francs, but the state allocated only one and a half million to the Eiffel. The engineer agreed to contribute the missing amount from his own funds, but in return demanded that the tower be leased to him for 25 years. At the beginning of 1887, the French authorities, the City Hall of Paris and the Eiffel entered into an agreement and construction began.
Old photos of the Eiffel TowerAll 18,000 structural parts were manufactured at Gustave's own factory in Levallois near the French capital. Thanks to carefully checked drawings, the work of assembling the tower progressed very quickly. The mass of individual elements of the structure did not exceed 3 tons, which greatly facilitated its assembly. At first, high cranes were used to lift the parts. Then, when the tower was taller than them, Eiffel used small mobile cranes specially designed by him, moving along the elevator rails. Two years, two months and five days later, with the efforts of three hundred workers, the construction of the structure was completed.
From 1925 to 1934, the Eiffel Tower was a giant advertising medium
The Eiffel Tower instantly attracted thousands of curious people - in the first six months of the exposition alone, more than two million people came to admire the new attraction. The emergence of a huge new silhouette against the backdrop of Paris caused fierce controversy in French society. Many representatives of the creative intelligentsia were categorically against the appearance of a tower equal in height to an 80-storey building - they feared that the iron structure would destroy the style of the city and suppress its architecture. Critics of Eiffel's creation called the tower "the highest lamppost", "a bell tower grill", "iron monster" and other unflattering, and sometimes offensive, epithets.
But, despite the protests and discontent of a certain part of French citizens, the Eiffel Tower almost completely paid off in the first year of operation, and further operation of the structure brought its creator substantial dividends.
Hitler against the backdrop of the Eiffel TowerBy the end of the lease, it became clear that dismantling of the tower could be avoided - by that time it was actively used for telephone and telegraph communications, as well as for placing radio stations. Gustave was able to convince the government and generals of the country that in the event of war, the Eiffel Tower would be indispensable as a transmitter of radio signals. At the beginning of 1910, the lease of the tower was extended by its creator for 70 years. During German occupation in 1940, French patriots broke all lifting mechanisms to cut off Hitler's path to the top of the tower. Due to the inoperative elevators, the aggressors were unable to plant their flag on the iron Frenchwoman. The Germans even called their specialists from Germany to repair the elevators, but they could not get them working either.
Gustave EiffelWith the development of television, the Eiffel Tower is becoming in demand as a place for placing antennas, of which there are currently several dozen on it.
The designer, who at first used his building for profit, later transferred the rights to it to the state, and today the tower is the property of the French people.
Eiffel could not imagine that his creation would become a tourist magnet along with other "wonders of the world." The engineer simply called it "the 300-meter tower", not supposing that it would glorify and perpetuate his name. Today, the openwork metal structure, towering over the French capital, is recognized as the most photographed and visited attraction in the world.
Replicas of the Eiffel Tower can be found in more than 30 cities: Tokyo, Berlin, Las Vegas, Prague, Hangzhou, London, Sydney, Almaty, Moscow and others.
Description
The base of the Eiffel Tower is a pyramid formed by four pillars. At a height of about 60 meters, the supports are connected by an arch, on which there is a square platform on the first floor with sides of 65 meters. The next four pillars rise from this lower platform, forming another arch at a height of 116 meters. There is a platform on the second floor - the square is half the size of the first. The pillars, thrown up from the second platform, gradually joining together, form a giant column 190 meters high. On this colossal rod, at a height of 276 meters from the ground, is the third floor - a square platform with sides of 16.5 meters. On the third platform there is a lighthouse crowned with a dome, above which, at a height of three hundred meters, there is a small one and a half meter platform. The height of the Eiffel Tower today is 324 meters thanks to the television antenna installed on it. In addition to television and radio equipment, the structure houses cell towers, as well as a unique weather station that records data on atmospheric pollution and background radiation.
At the foot of the Eiffel TowerAt the foot of the Eiffel Tower, there are ticket offices and an information desk with free booklets and brochures. There is a gift shop in each support of the structure, and in the south column there is also a post office. There is also a snack bar on the ground level. There is also an entrance to the premises where you can see outdated hydraulic lifting mechanisms. But access here is open only to organized excursion groups.
On the ground floor, visitors are greeted by the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant, another souvenir shop and the Cineiffel center, where films about the construction of the Eiffel Tower are shown. Younger visitors will be delighted to meet Gus - the mascot of the tower and the hero of the guide book. In addition, on the first level there is a fragment of an old spiral staircase leading to the next floors, as well as to the study of the Eiffel himself.
Visitors who come to the tower from the north are greeted by a gilded bust of its creator with a simple inscription: “Eiffel. 1832-1923 ".
The second level is an observation deck. This floor houses the Jules Verne restaurant and another gift shop. Many interesting details about the construction of the tower can be gleaned from the information boards located at this level. In winter, a small ice rink is poured on the second floor.
The main goal of the overwhelming number of visitors is the third level. Elevators rise to it, through the windows of which you can admire Paris. On the top floor, those who wish can celebrate their ascent to the tower with champagne at the Champange Bar. A glass of pink or white sparkling drink costs 10-15 €. The third floor can accommodate 800 people at the same time. Previously, the upper platform housed the observatory and the office of the Eiffel himself.
You can climb to the top of the structure by elevator or by stairs, consisting of 1,792 steps. The Eiffel Tower is serviced by 3 elevators, but they never function at the same time due to safety reasons and due to the constant maintenance of the structure.
During its existence, the tower was both yellow and red-brown. Today, the bronze color of the building is officially patented and is called "Eiffel Brown". Redecoration of the Eiffel Tower is carried out every 7 years, this process takes a year and a half. Before applying fresh paint, the old coat is removed with high pressure steam. Then the entire structure is carefully examined, the unusable parts are replaced with new ones. After that, the tower is covered with two layers of paint, which requires 57 tons for this procedure. But the color of the tower is not uniform everywhere; it is painted in different tones of bronze - from dark at the base of the structure to lighter at the very top. This method of painting is used to make the structure look harmonious against the sky. Interestingly, even today, paint is applied with brushes.
In the 80s of the last century, the tower was reconstructed - some of the parts were replaced with stronger and lighter ones.
Eiffel designed his brainchild in such a way that he is not afraid of storms - during the strongest wind, the tower deviates from its axis by a maximum of 12 centimeters. The iron structure is much more susceptible to the sun - the iron elements expand so much from heating that the upper part of the tower sometimes tilts sideways up to 20 centimeters.
Visitors first saw the tower lit up in 1889, on the opening day of the World's Trade Fair. The structure was illuminated by 10,000 gas lamps, two large floodlights and a lighthouse whose blue, white and red beams symbolized the country's national colors. In 1900, the tower was equipped with electric bulbs. In 1925, the owner of the Citroën company placed a grandiose advertisement on the structure - with the help of 125,000 bulbs, images of the tower, zodiacal constellations and products of the famous French automobile concern appeared on it. This light show lasted 9 years.
In the 21st century, the lighting of the Eiffel Tower has been modernized several times. In 2008, when France was presidency of the EU, the structure was illuminated in blue, representing the flag of Europe. The tower lighting is golden these days. It turns on for 10 minutes, at the beginning of every hour, in the dark.
In 2015, the tower's light bulbs were replaced with LEDs in order to save energy and financial costs. In addition, thermal panels, two windmills and a rainwater collection system were placed on the structure.
Views from the Eiffel Tower
- The Eiffel Tower is the emblem of Paris and the high-rise antenna.
- 10,000 people can be on the tower at the same time.
- The project was drawn up by the architect Stéphane Sauvestre, but the tower was built by the engineer Gustave Eiffel (1823-1923), better known to the public. Other works by Eiffel: Ponte de Dona Maria Pia, viaduct de Garabi, steel frame for the New York Statue of Liberty.
- Since its inception, the tower has been visited by about 250 million people.
- The weight of the metal part of the structure is 7,300 tons, and the weight of the entire tower is 10,100 tons.
- In 1925, the rogue Viktor Lustig managed to sell the iron structure for scrap, and he was able to pull this trick twice!
- Weather permitting, from the top of the tower, Paris and its surroundings can be viewed within a radius of up to 70 kilometers. It is believed that the optimal time to visit the Eiffel Tower, providing the best visibility, is one hour before sunset.
- The tower also holds a sad record - about 400 people committed suicide by throwing themselves down from its upper platform. In 2009, the terrace was fenced off with protective barriers and now this place is very popular with romantic couples kissing in front of all of Paris.
Tower address: Champ de Mars (Field of Mars). Metro stations: Bir Hakeim (line 6), Trocadero (line 9).
The numbers of buses running to the tower are 42, 69, 72, 82 and 87.
Mode of operation. From June 15 to September 1 - opening at 09.00. The lift to the 2nd floor stops working at midnight; ascent to the 3rd floor (summit) is carried out until 23.00; the staircase to the 2nd floor closes at 00.00; the whole tower is available until 00.45.
From September 2 to June 14, the Eiffel Tower welcomes visitors from 09.30. The lift to the 2nd floor is open until 23.00; the lift takes guests to the top until 22.30; stairs to the 2nd floor are open until 18.00; the whole tower is open until 23.45.
During spring and Easter holidays, access to the tower is open until midnight.
Sometimes the ascent to the top of the tower is temporarily suspended - due to dangerous weather conditions or too a large number visitors who are on it.
Entrance ticket prices. Until September 1: lift to the 2nd floor - 9 € (for adults), 7 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 4.5 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old). Elevator to the top - 15.50 € (for adults), 13.50 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 11 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old). Stairs to the 2nd floor - 5 € (for adults), 4 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 3.50 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old).
After September 1: lift to the 2nd floor - 11 € (for adults), 8.50 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 4 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old). Lift to the top - 17 € (for adults), 14.50 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 10 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old). Stairs to the 2nd floor - 7 € (for adults), 5 € (for visitors from 12 to 24 years old), 3 € (for children from 4 to 11 years old).
Visitors with disabilities can use the elevator to access the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.
In order to get to the first and second platforms of the tower faster, it is better to use the stairs from the south side, since the elevators almost always have long queues.
If you want to get to the top of the "Iron Lady" without queuing, then you should buy e-tickets in advance on the official website of the tower - www.tour-eiffel.fr. The ticket must be printed by paying with a credit card. You need to go to the tower 10-15 minutes before the time indicated on the ticket, bypassing the queue. Those who are late for more than half an hour are not allowed to go sightseeing, tickets in this case will be canceled. You need to worry about pre-buying tickets as early as possible, since their sale for a specific day begins 3 months in advance at 08.30 Paris time, and there are a lot of people who want to get to the tower without queuing.
A table in the Jules Verne restaurant must be booked several months in advance, the average bill for a dinner at an altitude of 175 meters is 300 €.
The Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris, has a complicated history. At first it was categorically rejected, then they got used to it, and now it is impossible to imagine the capital of France without this amazing structure.
Location
The famous symbol of Paris, which gives the city a look familiar to the whole world, is located on a former military parade ground, which has been turned into a beautiful park. It is divided into alleys, decorated with small ponds and flower beds. Opposite the tower is the Jena Bridge. The graceful openwork design is visible from many points in Paris, although Eiffel did not initially plan this. The tower was supposed to fulfill one function - to become an unusual entrance to the World's Fair.
Project approval and design assignment
The history of the Eiffel Tower began in late XIX century. In 1889, the World Exhibition was to be held in the capital of France. This event was of great importance for the country. It was timed to coincide with the centenary of the day and was supposed to last for 6 months.
One of the objectives of the exhibition is to demonstrate technical innovations therefore, the pavilion designers competed to see whose design would most reflect the future. An arch was to serve as the entrance to the exhibition. The architects were given the task of preparing a design for a structure that would demonstrate the country's technical strength and the achievements of engineering.
All engineering and design bureaus of the city, including Gustave Eiffel, received a proposal to participate in the competition from the Parisian administration. He did not have ready-made solutions, and decided to look for something suitable in projects that were on hold. It was there that he found a sketch of the tower, created by Maurice Keshlen, his collaborator. With the help of Emile Nugier, the design of the structure was finalized and submitted to the competition by Eiffel. The prudent engineer first received, together with the creators of the project, a patent for it, and then bought it out from Keshlen and Nugier. Thus, the ownership of the tower plans passed to Gustave Eiffel.
Many interesting and controversial projects were proposed for the competition, and the history of the Eiffel Tower may never have begun. The engineer made changes to the design to make it more decorative, and from the four applicants remaining at the end of the competition, the commission chose him.
Eiffel Tower - year of the beginning of construction and stages of construction
The construction of the gigantic structure began on January 28, 1887. It lasted for two years, two months and five days. In those days it was unprecedented speed. Everything was explained by the highest accuracy of the drawings, in which the size of more than 18 thousand design details was scrupulously accurate. In addition, in order to maximize the pace of work, Eiffel used prefabricated parts of the tower. Two and a half million rivets were used to connect all the details of the structure. Rivet holes were already drilled in the parts prepared in advance, and most of them were installed, which significantly accelerated the assembly.
Eiffel provided that none of the pre-prepared beams and other parts of the structure should weigh more than 3 tons - so it was easier to lift them with cranes. When the height of the tower outgrew the size of the lifting devices, mobile cranes designed by the architect specially designed for this came to the rescue, which moved along the rails created for future elevators.
The most difficult thing for them was not work at the very top, at a height of 300 meters, but the construction of the first platform of the tower. The sand-filled metal cylinders supported the weight of the four ramps. By gradually releasing the sand, they could be set in the correct position. When this was done, the first platform was set perfectly horizontal.
The cost of building the tower was almost 8 million francs. The construction costs were recouped during the exhibition's working time (6 months).
Weight and size of the structure
How many meters was the Eiffel Tower at first? It was 300 meters long and was much more striking in its dimensions (93 meters with a granite pedestal).
How many meters is the Eiffel Tower now? After installing the new antenna, it became 24 meters higher. The total weight of the tower is 10 thousand tons. With each painting, the weight of the building increases by another 60 tons.
The fate of the tower after the exhibition and the attitude of the Parisians to it
According to the agreement concluded with the Eiffel, the tower was to be dismantled 20 years after its construction. Its success was deafening - during the exhibition more than two million people wanted to look at the ingenious construction that had no equal in the world. During the year, we managed to recoup most of the construction costs. But the admiration of the visitors of the exhibition was not shared by the creative intelligentsia of Paris. The Eiffel Tower (France did not know a more controversial opinion about any other building) caused indignation and irritation among artists and writers. They considered it ugly, like a factory chimney, and feared that it would disrupt the unique look of Paris that has been taking shape for centuries.
The history of the Eiffel Tower could have ended with its dismantling, if not for the coming era of radio. Radio antennas were installed on the building, and the building acquired significant strategic value. Demolition of the tower was out of the question now. In 1906, a radio station was placed in the Eiffel Tower, and in 1957 a television antenna appeared on its top.
Description of the Eiffel Tower and the reasons for its design features
The lower floor of the building is a pyramid. It is formed by four inclined supports. The first square (65 meters in diameter) platform of the tower rests on them. The supports are connected by arched openwork vaults. Above, on four supports, lies the second platform. The next four columns of the tower begin to intertwine and merge into a huge column. There is a third platform on it. Above it there is a lighthouse and a small area a little more than a meter across.
On the first site, according to the architect's idea, there was a restaurant. On the second, there was another restaurant and containers of machine oil for servicing the elevators. The third site was given over to laboratories (astronomical and meteorological).
The Eiffel was criticized for the unusual shape of the tower. In fact, the brilliant engineer and architect understood perfectly well that strong wind poses the main danger for such a tall structure. The design and shape of the tower are designed to withstand high wind loads.
Eiffel Tower: interesting about the famous symbol of Paris
Adolf Hitler during the occupation of France German troops visited Paris and expressed a desire to climb the Eiffel Tower. But right before his arrival, the elevator drive was seriously damaged, and it was not possible to repair it under military conditions. The German leader was never able to climb the tower. After the liberation of the French capital, the elevator started working in a few hours.
The architect of the Eiffel Tower was very concerned about safety issues, as the work was carried out at a very high altitude. In the entire history of construction, not a single worker died - this is a real achievement for those years.
Unpleasant events are also associated with the Eiffel Tower - in 2009 it was awarded the third place in popularity among suicides.
In order to repaint the tower, it will take a year and a half of work and 60 tons of paint.
The tower consumes as much electricity per day as a small village of one hundred houses.
The famous symbol of Paris has its own patented color - "eiffel brown". It is as close as possible to the real bronze shade of the building's structures.
There are more than 300 copies of the famous tower in the world. Several of them are located in Russia: in Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Perm, Voronezh and Irkutsk.
Eiffel Tower in culture
The famous building has repeatedly become an object of interest for artists, poets, writers and directors.
The history of the Eiffel Tower is recorded in documentary sources, and its possible future has been shown more than once in apocalyptic tapes. One of the most interesting films is the documentary "Future of the Planet: Life After People". It shows that without maintenance the Eiffel Tower will not be able to withstand its main enemies for a long time: rust and wind. In about 150-300 years, its upper part at the level of the third platform will collapse and fall.
But most often the Eiffel Tower can be seen on the canvases of artists. Jean Béraud, famous for his genre works depicting daily life Paris, created a painting "Near the Eiffel Tower", in which a Parisian woman looks with surprise at a huge building. Marc Chagall dedicated a lot of works to the creation of Eiffel.
Conclusion
One of the most recognizable buildings in the world is the Eiffel Tower. France is justly proud of this amazing symbol of Paris. The view from the top of the tower to the city is magnificent.
You can admire it any day - the ingenious creation of Gustave Eiffel is open to visitors on weekends.
The most recognizable landmark in Paris, a symbol of France, named after its creator, Gustave Eiffel. It is a place of real pilgrimage for tourists. The designer himself called it simply - a 300-meter tower.
Eiffel Tower (Paris) - the symbol of France
In 2006, the tower was visited by 6,719,200 people, and in its entire history - over 250 million people, which makes the tower the most visited attraction in the world. Eiffel Tower (Paris) conceived as a temporary structure - it served as the entrance arch of the Paris World Exhibition of 1889. Radio antennas installed at the very top saved the tower from the demolition planned 20 years after the exhibition - this was the era of the introduction of radio.
Where is the Eiffel Tower
If we talk about where is the eiffel tower specifically, it stands on the Champ de Mars opposite Jena Bridge over the Seine River.
The question of how to get to the Eiffel Tower is also very simple: you need to focus on the Bir-Hakeim station on line 6 of the Paris Metro. Another option is Trocadero station on line 9. Bus routes to the Eiffel Tower are: 42, 69, 72, 82 and 87. 
If you wish, you can see in real time what is happening around the main attraction of Paris and see others. Webcams of the Eiffel Tower and Paris are not as popular and developed as in New York, therefore they offer only a limited view of the tower.
Eiffel Tower Height
Eiffel Tower Height in the spire is 324 meters (2000). For over 40 years, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world, almost 2 times taller than the tallest buildings in the world of that time - (137 m), (156 m) and Ulm Cathedral (161 m) - until it surpassed it in 1930 Chrysler Building in New York.
Throughout its history, the tower has repeatedly changed its paint color - from yellow to red-brown. Over the past decades, the Eiffel Tower has been consistently painted in "Eiffel Brown" - an officially patented color close to the natural shade of bronze, which is hardly distinguishable in nighttime photos of the Eiffel Tower.
Eiffel Tower in Paris: history
Eiffel Tower in Paris was created specifically for the World Exhibition of 1889, which was organized by the authorities for the centenary of the Great French Revolution. The famous engineer Gustave Eiffel submitted his project of a 300-meter iron tower to the administration of Paris, which he actually did not work on. On September 18, 1884, Gustave Eiffel received a joint patent for the project with his employees, and subsequently bought out the exclusive right from them.
On May 1, 1886, a French competition of architectural and engineering projects for the future World Exhibition was opened, in which 107 applicants took part. There were various extravagant ideas under consideration, among them, for example, a giant guillotine, which was supposed to remind of the French Revolution of 1789. The Eiffel project becomes one of the 4th winners and then the engineer makes the final changes to it, finding a compromise between the original purely engineering design scheme and the decorative option.
In the end, the committee settles on the Eiffel plan, although the very idea of the tower did not belong to him, but to two of his employees: Maurice Koehlen and Emile Nugier. It was possible to assemble such a complex structure as a tower within two years only because Eiffel applied special construction methods. This explains the decision of the exhibition committee in favor of this project.
In order for the tower to better meet the aesthetic tastes of the demanding Parisian public, the architect Stefan Sauvestre suggested sheathe the basement pillars of the tower with stone, tie its pillars and the ground floor platform with the help of majestic arches, which would simultaneously become the main entrance to the exhibition, place spacious towers on the floors. glazed halls, to give the top of the tower a rounded shape and use a variety of decorative elements to decorate it.
In January 1887, the Eiffel, the state and the municipality of Paris signed an agreement, according to which Eiffel was given a 25-year operational lease for the tower for personal use, and also provided for the payment of a cash subsidy in the amount of 1.5 million gold francs, which amounted to 25% of all expenses for construction of the tower. On December 31, 1888, in order to raise the missing funds, a joint-stock company was created with an authorized capital of 5 million francs. Half of this amount is funds contributed by three banks, the other half is the personal funds of Eiffel himself.
The final construction budget was 7.8 million francs. The tower paid off during the period of the exhibition, and its subsequent operation turned out to be a very profitable business.
Eiffel Tower construction
Construction work for a little over two years - from January 28, 1887 to March 31, 1889 - was carried out by 300 workers. The record-breaking construction time was aided by extremely high-quality dimensional drawings of over 12,000 metal parts, which were assembled using 2.5 million rivets.
To finish construction of the eiffel tower at the appointed time, Eiffel used, for the most part, prefabricated parts. In the beginning, tall cranes were used. When the structure outgrew their height, mobile cranes specially designed by Eiffel were used. They moved along the rails laid out for future elevators. The first elevators on the tower were driven by hydraulic pumps. Two historic Fives-Lill elevators, installed in 1899 in the east and west pillars of the tower, are still in use. Since 1983, they have been powered by an electric motor and the hydraulic pumps have been preserved and accessible for inspection.
The second and third floors of the tower were connected by a vertical lift created by the engineer Edu (Eiffel's classmate at the Central Higher Technical School) and consisted of two mutually equalizing cabins. Halfway to the site, at a height of 175 meters from the ground, passengers had to change to another elevator. Water tanks installed on the floors provided the required hydraulic pressure. In 1983, this lift, which could not work in winter time, was replaced by an electric lift of the Otis brand. It consisted of four cabins and provided direct communication between the two floors. The construction of the Eiffel Tower required special attention to the safety issues of continuous work. This was Eiffel's greatest concern. There were no fatalities during the construction work, which was a significant achievement for that time.
The work progressed slowly but continuously. She caused the Parisians, who saw the tower growing into the sky, surprise and admiration. On March 31, 1889, less than 26 months after the start of excavation, Eiffel was able to invite several more or less physically strong officials to the first ascent of 1,710 steps.
Eiffel Tower (France): public reaction and further history
The construction was a tremendous and immediate success. Over the six months of the exhibition, more than 2 million visitors came to see the "iron lady". By the end of the year, three quarters of all construction costs were recovered.
In addition to the Eiffel, there are several more interesting and unusual towers: a leaning, inclined tower and a legendary one.
In October 1898, Eugene Ducrette conducted the first telegraphic session between the Eiffel Tower and the Pantheon. In 1903, General Ferrier, a pioneer in the field of wireless telegraph, applied it to his experiments. It so happened that the tower was left first for military purposes.
Since 1906, a radio station has been permanently located on the tower. January 1, 1910 Eiffel renews the lease of the tower for seventy years. In 1921, the first direct radio transmission from the Eiffel Tower took place. Broadcasting was broadcast, made possible by the installation of special antennas on the tower. Since 1922, a radio program began to appear regularly, which was called the Eiffel Tower.
In 1925, the first attempts were made to relay a television signal from the tower. The transmission of regular television programs began in 1935. Since 1957, a television tower has been located on the tower, increasing the height of the steel structure to 320.75 m. In addition, several dozen linear and parabolic antennas have been installed on the tower. They provide rebroadcasting of various radio and TV programs.
During the German occupation of 1940, the French damaged the elevator drive just before Adolf Hitler's arrival, so the Führer never climbed it. In August 1944, as the Allies approached Paris, Hitler ordered General Dietrich von Koltitz, military governor of Paris, to destroy the tower along with the rest of the city's landmarks. But Von Koltitz did not obey the order. Surprisingly, a few hours after the liberation of Paris, the elevator drive started up again.
Eiffel Tower: interesting facts
- The weight of the metal structure is 7,300 tons (total weight is 10,100 tons). Today, three towers could be erected from this metal at once. The foundation was taken out of concrete blocks. Vibrations of the tower during storms do not exceed 15 cm.
- The lower floor is a pyramid (129.2 m each side at the base), formed by 4 columns, connected at a height of 57.63 m by an arched vault; on the vault is the first platform of the Eiffel Tower. The platform is a square (65 m across).
- On this platform, a second pyramid-tower rises, also formed by 4 columns, connected by a vault, on which (at a height of 115.73 m) the second platform (a square of 30 m in diameter) is located.
- Four columns, towering on the second platform, converging pyramidally and gradually intertwining, form a colossal pyramidal column (190 m), carrying a third platform (at a height of 276.13 m), also square (16.5 m in diameter); a lighthouse with a dome rises on it, above which, at an altitude of 300 m, there is a platform (1.4 m in diameter).
- Stairs (1792 steps) and elevators lead to the tower.
The halls of the restaurant were erected on the first platform; the second platform housed tanks with machine oil for a hydraulic lifting machine (elevator) and a restaurant in a glass gallery. The third platform housed the astronomical and meteorological observatories and the physics room. The light of the lighthouse was visible at a distance of 10 km.
The erected tower amazed with its daring decision of its form. Eiffel was severely criticized for the project and at the same time accused of trying to create something artistic and non-artistic.
Together with his engineers - specialists in bridge building, Eiffel was engaged in calculating the strength of the wind, knowing full well that if they are building the tallest structure in the world, then first of all they must make sure that it is resistant to wind loads.
The original agreement with Eiffel was to dismantle the tower 20 years after it was built. As you might guess, it was never implemented, and the history of the Eiffel Tower continued.
Under the first balcony, on all four sides of the parapet, the names of 72 outstanding French scientists and engineers, as well as those who made a special contribution to the creation of Gustave Eiffel, are engraved. These inscriptions appeared at the beginning of the 20th century and were restored in 1986-1987 by the Société Nouvelle d'exploitation de la Tour Eiffel company, hired by the City Hall to operate the Eiffel Tower. The tower itself is the property of the city of Paris.
Eiffel Tower lighting
For the first time, lighting on the Eiffel Tower was turned on on the day of its opening in 1889. Then it consisted of 10 thousand gas lanterns, two searchlights and a lighthouse installed at the top, the light of which was painted in blue, white and red - the colors of the national flag of France. In 1900, electric lamps appeared on the structures of the Iron Lady. And the current golden lighting was first turned on on December 31, 1985, and can be seen in many photographs of the Eiffel Tower taken in recent years.
In 1925, André Citroën placed an advertisement on the tower, which he named "The Eiffel Tower on Fire." About 125 thousand electric bulbs were installed on the tower. One after another, ten images flashed on the tower: the silhouette of the Eiffel Tower, the rain of stars, the flight of comets, the signs of the Zodiac, the year the tower was created, the current year and, finally, the name Citroen. This promotion lasted until 1934 and the tower was the tallest advertising space in the world.
In the summer of 2003, the tower "dressed" in a new lighting outfit. For several months, a team of thirty climbers entangled the structure of the tower with 40 kilometers of wires and installed 20 thousand light bulbs made by special order of one of the French companies. The new illumination, which cost 4.6 million euros, was reminiscent of the one that was first turned on on the tower on New Year's Eve 2000, when the tower, usually illuminated with golden yellow lanterns, in a matter of seconds dressed in a fabulous glow, winking with silvery lights.
From July 1 to December 31, 2008, when France held the presidency of the EU, the tower had blue lighting with stars (reminiscent of the flag of Europe).
Consists of four levels: lower (ground), 1st floor (57 meters), 2nd floor (115 meters) and 3rd floor (276 meters). Each of them is remarkable in its own way.
On the lower level, there are ticket offices where you can buy tickets to the Eiffel Tower, an information stand where you can grab useful brochures and booklets, as well as 4 gift shops - one in each column of the tower. In the south column, in addition, there is a post office, so you can send a postcard to your family and friends right from the foot of the famous building. Also, before the start of the conquest of the Eiffel Tower, there is an option to have a snack in the buffet located right there. From the lower level, you can get to the compartments where old hydraulic machines are installed, which in the past lifted lifts to the top of the tower. You can only admire them as part of excursion groups.
The 1st floor, which, if desired, can be climbed on foot, will delight tourists with another gift shop and restaurant 58 Tour Eiffel. However, in addition to this, there is a preserved fragment of a spiral staircase, which at one time led from the second floor to the third, and at the same time to the Eiffel office. You can learn a lot about the tower by going to the Cineiffel Center, where an animation dedicated to the history of the building is shown. Children will certainly be interested in getting to know Gus, the hand-drawn mascot of the Eiffel Tower and the character of a special children's guide book. Also on the 1st floor you will be able to admire posters, photographs, all kinds of illustrations from different times dedicated to the "Iron Lady".
On the 2nd floor, the first thing that attracts attention is the general panorama of Paris, opening from a 115-meter height. Here you can replenish your stock of souvenirs, find out a lot about the history of the tower at special stands, and at the same time order yourself a delicious lunch at the Jules Verne restaurant.
The 3rd floor is the main goal of many tourists, in fact, the top of the Eiffel Tower, located at a height of 276 meters, where lifts with transparent glass lead, so that on the way there you will have a stunning view of the French capital. At the top, you can pamper yourself with a glass of champagne at the Champange bar. Climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris is an experience for the rest of your life.
If you want to experience it, then it's time to book an excursion to the Eiffel Tower:
Eiffel Tower Restaurants
Many people dream about having lunch or just having a glass of wine in one of the restaurants located on the Eiffel Tower, admiring the view of Paris, so once you get up you shouldn't deny yourself the pleasure of visiting a restaurant on the Eiffel Tower. There are two excellent restaurants, a bar and several buffets in the tower.
The 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant, recently opened on the 1st level of the Eiffel Tower, offers its visitors both light lunches and classic dinners, which can be enjoyed in a cozy and friendly atmosphere of the restaurant, looking at Paris from a height of 57 meters. It is not very fancy, but very pleasant place. You can book a two-course lunch and lift ticket via the link below.
"Jules Verne"
The restaurant on the 2nd floor of the tower, named after the famous writer, is an excellent example of modern and sophisticated French cuisine. A multitude of delicacies and unique dishes, combined with designer interiors and impeccable furnishings - all this turns an ordinary dinner at Jules Vernet into a real feast of taste.
The "Champagne Bar" located at the top of the Eiffel Tower and a glass of sparkling drink drunk in it is a kind of logical completion of the ascent to the main attraction of Paris. You can choose pink or white champagne, which cost between 10-15 euros per glass.
Eiffel Tower: Tickets
As mentioned above, the ticket offices are located at the lowest level of the tower. The cost of an adult ticket to the top of the tower is 13.40 euros, to the 2nd floor - 8.20 euros. The rest of the tickets can be found on this page in a separate section. Alternatively, tickets for the Eiffel Tower can be purchased online at the attraction's website. In this case, an e-ticket is sent to the e-mail, which must be printed out and taken with you on the day of the visit. Tickets can be purchased at least one day before the visit. You can book tickets for the Eiffel Tower on the website, where all the instructions are also indicated.
