Eiffel Tower 🇫🇷

The Eiffel Tower, situated on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France, is a wrought-iron lattice tower and the city's tallest structure. Known locally as "La dame de fer" (the Iron Lady), the monument reaches a total height of 330 meters (1,083 feet) with a square base measuring 125 meters (410 feet) on each side. Recognized as a global cultural icon of France, the landmark forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site established along the banks of the Seine and holds official status as a French monument historique.

Conceived as the centerpiece for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, a world's fair, the tower was erected to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution. Its initial design was drafted by engineers Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, with architectural embellishments added by Stephen Sauvestre before Gustave Eiffel acquired the patent rights. Constructed between 1887 and 1889, the framework consists of 18,038 prefabricated iron components secured by 2.5 million rivets. Prior to its completion, the project generated significant controversy, drawing criticism from prominent artists, writers, and architects—including Charles Garnier, Guy de Maupassant, and Alexandre Dumas—who questioned its structural feasibility and aesthetic design.

The monument offers three levels accessible to visitors. The first and second stories feature restaurants and can be reached by either elevators or stairs. Ascending to the second level on foot requires navigating a total of 600 steps, divided equally between the lower two tiers. The third level features an upper platform positioned 276 meters (906 feet) above the ground, making it the highest public observation deck in the European Union. Typically accessible only by lift, this summit level also contains a private apartment constructed for Gustave Eiffel, decorated with furniture designed by Jean Lachaise.

At the time of its opening, the tower surpassed the Washington Monument to become the tallest human-made structure in the world, holding the title for 41 years. It was the first structure to exceed both 200 meters and 300 meters in height. Following the addition of a broadcasting aerial in 1957, it stands 11 meters taller than the Chrysler Building in New York City. Excluding transmitter equipment, it remains the second-tallest free-standing structure in France. Today, millions of visitors purchase tickets each year to ascend the monument's platforms.

Eiffel Tower in pictures