Lifestyle
Why Eiffel Tower is in 7 Wonders of the World?
We answer 15 of the most frequently asked and fascinating questions about the Eiffel Tower.
Who constructed the Eiffel Tower?
Gustave Eiffel, a French engineer who specialized in building metal frameworks and structures. He built the Eiffel Tower from 1887 to 1889. Many metallic works in Europe were designed by Gustave Eiffel, including the Porto Viaduct in Portugal, the Viaduct du Garabit in France. Also don’t forget the Budapest train station (Hungary).
Gustave Eiffel’s company, located in Levallois Perret, near Paris, France, also built the metal framework for another world-famous monument: the Statue of Liberty (New York, United States), designed by Auguste Bartholdi and presented to the United States as a gift from France in 1886 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence.
What metal is the Eiffel Tower constructed of?
The Eiffel Tower is made of iron rather than steel. The puddle iron used to construct the Eiffel Tower came from the Pompey forges (East of France). The puddling process produced iron plates and beams, which were then riveted together in the Eiffel factories in Levallois Perret.
Finally, these pieces were transported to the construction site of the Eiffel Tower to be installed. The prefab system allowed them to complete the Eiffel Tower in 2 years, 2 months, and 5 days.
What is puddle iron?
The iron used to construct the Eiffel Tower was refined through a process known as puddling, which removed excess carbon when the ore was melted. Following this process, you obtain almost pure iron, which was the best and most robust material available at the time, according to Gustave Eiffel.
The iron is protected from corrosion by a thick coat of paint that must be renewed every 7 years. Gustave Eiffel himself recommended this repainting schedule, which is still followed today.
Why was the Eiffel Tower built?
The iron used to construct the Eiffel Tower was refined through a process known as puddling. Which removed excess carbon when the ore was melted. Following this process, you obtain almost pure iron, which was the best and most robust material available at the time, according to Gustave Eiffel.
The iron is protected from corrosion by a thick coat of paint that must be renewed every 7 years. Gustave Eiffel himself recommended this repainting schedule, which is still followed today.
The Tower sparked debate in the art world before and during its construction. However, thanks to the audacity of its architecture and design, visitors and Parisians fell in love with it immediately. Over 2 million people toured it in the first year.
Is the Eiffel Tower the symbol for France?
The Eiffel Tower quickly became one of the most popular attractions in Paris due to its height and unique silhouette floating above the Paris landscape. The fate of the Eiffel Tower is inextricably linked to that of Paris, the capital of France and the Eiffel Tower’s owner.
Since its inception, the Eiffel Tower has attracted attention and served as a venue for numerous events in Paris and France. Also including the grandiose fireworks on July 14 (“Bastille Day”), national-level events, and large-scale sporting events.
The Tower can be seen from a variety of locations throughout Paris and its suburbs. It is photographed, drawn, filmed, and replicated in a variety of settings. Also the monument that all visitors to Paris photograph. It naturally became associated with France in the collective imagination, appearing in films and graphic arts, but also in literature and poetry.
What does the Eiffel Tower represent to the French?
For 130 years, the Eiffel Tower has been a powerful and distinct symbol of Paris, and thus of France. When it was first built for the 1889 World’s Fair, its stature and daring design wowed the entire world. Also it symbolized French know-how and industrial genius.
The Eiffel Tower, a world-famous monument and a unique tourist attraction, has faithfully accompanied the people of Paris and its suburbs in their daily lives. Its 330-meter height allows it to be seen from all over Paris and beyond, day and night until 1 a.m. Thanks to its lighting, twinkling illumination at set times, and beacon that reaches out to 80 kilometers in 360 degrees.
Why is the Eiffel Tower shaped that way?
We must first restore the Eiffel Tower to its historical context. In 1884, two engineers working for Gustave Eiffel’s company imagined constructing a metal tower 300 meters tall for the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris.
These engineers specialized in large-scale metallic structures such as bridges, railway stations, and viaducts. It’s only natural that the first sketch of the 300-meter Tower, based on these two engineers’ calculations, depicts a pylon with four legs, each made of four robust beams linked together by open-web-joists that rise diagonally to meet at the summit.
All of these shapes and curves are reminiscent of the largest viaducts built by Eiffel around the same time!
How long did it take to build the Eiffel Tower?
The Eiffel Tower was completed in record time: two years, two months, and five days. Between late January 1887 and March 31, 1889. Aside from its technical and architectural prowess, the Tower’s rapid construction was an unprecedented feat at the time.
Is it illegal to photograph the Eiffel Tower at night?
Nothing prevents you from photographing the Eiffel Tower at night. Private individuals are free to photograph the Eiffel Tower at night for personal use or to share on social media.
Professionals face a different situation: the Eiffel Tower’s various illuminations (golden, sparkles, beacon, and special event illuminations) are copyrighted. Any professional use of nighttime photographs of the Eiffel Tower requires prior authorization from SETE (Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel – the Eiffel Tower management firm.) Eventually, payment of usage rights.
Is the Eiffel Tower considered a work of art?
No one considered the Tower to be a work of art at first because it was the work of architects and engineers! The idea for a 300-meter-tall tower arose during the preparations for the 1889 World’s Fair.
In 1886, a competition was held to “study the possibility of raising an iron tower with a square base of 125 meters per side and a height of 300 meters” for the Fair. The Gustave Eiffel project, designed by engineers Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, as well as architect Stephen Sauvestre, was chosen from a field of 107.
How many people died during the Eiffel Tower’s construction?
During the Eiffel Tower’s construction, no serious injuries or deaths occurred.
What does the term “Eiffel Tower” mean?
Gustave Eiffel Was a 19th century French entrepreneur and engineer who specialized in large-scale metal structures. He was the inspiration for the Eiffel Tower (bridges, train stations, viaducts).
How many people come to see the Eiffel Tower each year?
Every year, approximately 6 million people climb the Eiffel Tower, making it a must-see for anyone visiting Paris. The Eiffel Tower is open every day and even at night, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:45 p.m., and from 9:00 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. in the summer.