Eiffel Tower: Everything You Need to Know

Ian.CuiYi

The Eiffel Tower, one of the most visited landmarks in the world today, was once the tallest structure ever built too. At the time of its completion in 1889, its 984 feet (or 300 meters) far surpassed the height of the reigning tallest structure, the Washington Monument, which rises 554.5 feet (or 169 meters). And though the Eiffel Tower only held the title of tallest for 41 years—the Chrysler Building in New York surpassed it in 1929—its cultural influence has only grown over time.

“It’s become the symbol of Paris, and of France as well,” says Savin Yeatman-Eiffel, a great-great-great-grandson of Gustave Eiffel, the engineer behind the tower. “There were very strong critics until the beginning of the 20th century, but there was never a lot of protest from normal Parisians. They would happily climb on top of it. It gradually became more and more part of the landscape, and it became very hard to imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower.”

Since Paris is such a low-slung city (there was a building height limit of about 115 feet, or 35 meters, in place until the 1960s), the Eiffel Tower can be spotted from almost anywhere in the French capital. Its wrought-iron lattice construction—which was actually a mathematical choice, not an aesthetic one—sticks out proudly along the skyline. “You can see it from a lot of places,” Yeatman-Eiffel adds. “It’s a love story between Parisians and the Eiffel Tower.”

Here, Yeatman-Eiffel, who is the vice president of the Association des Descendants de Gustave Eiffel, the documentarian behind Eiffel’s Race to the Top, and the curator of the Eiffel: Toujours Plus Haut exhibit, shares more about this iconic structure.

Where is the Eiffel Tower located?

The Eiffel Tower (or the Tour Eiffel in French) is located in the Champ de Mars, a big public park on the banks of the Seine River, in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. It’s not far from Musée du Quai Branly, Musée Rodin, and Musée d’Orsay. Right across the river, another large park called Jardins du Trocadéro offers more green space and a beautiful view of the structure.

What is the history of the construction of the Eiffel Tower?

The Eiffel Tower originated with a global desire to reach 1,000 feet. “There was a race for heights, a race to be the highest tower in the world that started at the beginning of the 19th century,” says Yeatman-Eiffel. “There were several projects [that aimed to be 1,000 feet] before, during, and after the Eiffel Tower that never got completed.”

French engineers decided to enter the “race” ahead of the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. In years past, it had been customary that each fair “had a monument, an amazing construction that was supposed to be more impressive than the previous one,” Yeatman-Eiffel says. “And 1889 was a very special date for France because it was the centenary of the French Revolution of 1789. It was also the difficult period after the German beat Napoleon III. The republic wanted to show the world that the French were back, that it was a strong country, and that is had to be recognized.”

Over 100 projects were submitted to a national competition to design that year’s monument. The decision committee ultimately chose Eiffel’s design, and hence the tower was born.

Why was the Eiffel Tower controversial?

Eiffel and his team, including Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, who drew up the original design, set out to dazzle the world with a 300-meter tower—which is what Eiffel called it. “Gustave Eiffel never called the Eiffel Tower ‘the Eiffel Tower,’” shares Yeatman-Eiffel. “He always called it the Tour de 300 Mètres, or the 300-Meter Tower. The press nicknamed it the Eiffel Tower, which was a bit condescending because they were associating his name with the tower to make it stand out as an engineer’s project.”

While the press was patronizing, artists and intellectuals were fully oppositional. “They accused the tower of being too American, not in the French taste, because it looked too modern, too industrial,” Yeatman-Eiffel explains. They argued that the giant metal structure would clash with the classical architecture that defined the city, like Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and the Palais Garnier. “They saw it as a provocation and an abomination,” he says. “They tried very hard to stop the project.” But Eiffel prevailed and built the tower using mostly his own money, which he recouped in ticket sales by the end of the 1889 World’s Fair.

What are the architectural elements of the Eiffel Tower?

Koechlin is said to have described the original plans for the Eiffel Tower as “a great pylon consisting of four lattice girders standing apart at the base and coming together at the top, joined together by metal trusses at regular intervals.” The final product reflects this early design, which was devised to withstand wind but also includes ornamental features added by architect Stephen Sauvestre in subsequent blueprints.

“The basis for constructing the tower was not an artistic choice—it was a mathematical equation to resist the wind pressure,” says Yeatman-Eiffel. “The weight is balanced between the four sections so that it doesn’t topple over. It’s just an engineer’s dream. There were some elements that were added by an architect to make it a bit more pleasing to the eye. The arches under the first floor are purely decorative. You don’t need them to keep the tower standing. They add beauty and give a sense of stability but are totally unnecessary.”

What is the Eiffel Tower made of?

The Eiffel Tower is made of wrought iron, which is why its nickname is Iron Lady. Altogether, 18,038 pieces of metal were connected with 2.5 million rivets to construct the tower. The metal frame weighs 7,300 tons, but the total weight of the tower, including its elevators, shops, and antennae, is 10,100 tons. “It’s like iron lace,” describes Yeatman-Eiffel. “The tower is quite light.”

How long was the Eiffel Tower supposed to stand?

Eiffel only had a 20-year permit for the Eiffel Tower, after which the land and the structure was to be returned to the city of Paris. During this two-decade span, critics tried to ensure the Eiffel Tower would be destroyed at the end of its lease, suggesting alternate development plans for the Champ de Mars. Meanwhile, Eiffel attempted to prevent the tower’s demise.

“He knew it was a very close call, and he did his best to find ways to protect the tower because he certainly knew it was his masterpiece and he had no desire to see it be torn down,” Yeatman-Eiffel shares. “He invited a lot of scientists to come to the tower and use it as a laboratory because of its specific stature 300 meters above ground. A lot of experiments could be done with wind pressure and falling objects.”

Ultimately, the Eiffel Tower was saved because Eiffel met Captain Gustave Ferrié, who was studying the military applications of wireless transmission. The engineer suggested that Ferrié use the tower for his tests and even financed the entire operation. “Huge antennas were attached to the top of the tower, and it was a huge success,” Yeatman-Eiffel says. “Ferrié managed to contact Tunisia in 1907 and Canada in 1910. It was a very useful strategic element for the French during World War I, so Gustave Eiffel was allowed to extend the concession and keep the tower alive.”

What is the the Eiffel Tower used for?

Eventually, the Eiffel Tower antennae, which bring its current height to 1,083 feet (330 meters), began to transmit television waves too. “Nowadays, in addition to being among the most visited monuments in the world, with almost 7 million visitors each year, the Eiffel Tower is also the main antenna for the whole of the Paris region, with 10 million people getting their TV transmission from the Eiffel Tower,” reports Yeatman-Eiffel.

What is inside the Eiffel Tower?

On the ground floor, otherwise known as the Esplanade, there is an information desk, a casual buffet-style eatery, and souvenir shops. On the inside of the Eiffel Tower’s four legs, there are staircases and elevators that lead to the tourist attractions on all three levels. The tower features 1,665 steps, but only 674 of them are open to visitors, allowing them to ascend to the second floor on foot. The third floor is only accessible by elevator.

Can you go inside the Eiffel Tower?

Visitors can indeed go inside the Eiffel Tower. On the first floor, there is a contemporary restaurant called Madame Brasserie, a casual buffet-style eatery, souvenir shops, a terrace, and an interactive educational exhibit. On the second floor, there is a Michelin-starred restaurant called Le Jules Verne, a casual buffet-style eatery, souvenir shops, a Pierre Hermé macaron bar, and a sweeping observation deck that offers views of the Arc de Triomphe, Les Invalides, and more.

On the third floor, otherwise known as the Top, there are two observation decks (one indoor and one outdoor), as well as a Champagne bar and the apartment Eiffel once used to perform his scientific experiments and host guests like Thomas Edison. The space has been restored to its original condition and filled with wax models so visitors can imagine what it was like in 1889. “In the background, you can see Claire, my great-great-grandmother,” Yeatman-Eiffel says.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

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