Facts about the Eiffel Tower
- The Eiffel Tower is made of iron and weighs around 10000 tonnes. (That's a lot just in case you did not know)
- The Eiffel Tower was originally built as the entrance arch for the World's Fair in 1889.
- Around 50 tonnes of paint are added to the Eiffel Tower every 7 years to protect it from rust. (This explains a lot when you look at it it always looks so fresh)
- It is named after Gustave Eiffel, whose company was in charge of the project.
- The French name for the Eiffel Tower is La Tour Eiffel, it also has the nickname La dame de fer which means the iron lady
-
Not everyone liked the Eiffel Tower when it was first built, with many criticizing its bold design. (funny since now it is one of the most loved monuments in the world)
Being so popular, the Eiffel Tower design has been recreated around the world, including the half scale replica at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel in Nevada, USA and the full scale Tokyo Tower in Japan.
Interesting Info
The Eiffel Tower is also a technological masterpiece in building-construction history. When the French government was organizing the International Exposition of 1889 to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution, a competition was held for designs for a suitable monument. More than 100 plans were submitted, and the Centennial Committee accepted that of the noted bridge engineer Gustave Eiffel. Eiffel’s concept of a 984-foot (300-metre) tower built almost entirely of open-lattice wrought iron aroused amazement, skepticism, and no little opposition on aesthetic grounds. When completed, the tower served as the entrance gateway to the exposition.
Today the Eiffel Tower turned 126 years old! That is just awesome it has always been one of my favorite monuments. During the weekend me and my family went up in Kings Dominion's Eiffel Tower remake!
