The+Eiffel+Tower


 * Since the Eiffel Tower was built it has stood as a symbol of hope and love. This interesting sculpture designed by an architect named Stephen Sauvestre was built Mar 31, 1889 in Paris, France. This tower stands nine-hundred-eighty-six feet tall with three floors. It was named after the engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Built in 1889 as the entrance to the 1889 World's Fair, it was criticized by some of France's leading artists and sculptures for its design, but has become one of the most recognizable structures in the world. It is an important part of French and Global culture. The tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world. **
 * In 1889, Paris hosted a World’s Fair to mark the 100-year anniversary of the French Revolution. Eiffel et Compagnie, a construction company owned by the acclaimed bridge builder, architect and metals expert Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel was chosen to build the sculpture. While Eiffel himself often receives full credit for the monument that bears his name, it was one of his employees, a structural engineer named Maurice Koechlin who came up with the idea. Several years earlier, the pair had collaborated on the Statue of Liberty’s design which was a gift from France to the United States of America. The final design called for more than 18,000 pieces of puddle iron, a type of wrought iron used in construction, and 2.5 million rivets. Several hundred workers spent two years assembling the framework of the tower, which at its opening day in March 1889 stood nearly 1,000 feet high and was the tallest structure in the world. It held this record until the completion of New York City’s Chrysler Building in 1930. In 1957, an antenna was added that increased the structure’s height by 65 feet, making it taller than the Chrysler Building but not the Empire State Building. **
 * Originally intended as a temporary exhibit, the Eiffel Tower was almost torn down and scrapped in 1909. City officials protested to save it after recognizing its value as a radiotelegraph station. Several years later, during World War I, the Eiffel Tower intercepted enemy radio communications, relayed zeppelin alerts, and was used to dispatch emergency troop reinforcements. It escaped destruction a second time during World War II. Hitler ordered the demolition of the city’s most cherished symbol, but the command was never carried out. **
 * Over the years, the Eiffel Tower has been the site of numerous high-profile stunts, ceremonial events and even scientific experiments. The Eiffel Tower has also inspired more than 30 replicas and similar structures in various cities around the world. Now one of the most popular structures on the planet, the Eiffel Tower is repainted every seven years since 1986. An estimated 7 million people per year come to visit this cultural icon. Some 500 employees are responsible for its daily operations, working in its restaurants, manning its elevators, keeping its security, and directing the crowds. This piece of art helps strengthen tourism in France and brings history to life. Being the tallest sculpture in France, it is part of their skyline. The history of what the tower did to help the world beat the Nazis is such a significant part of history. This tower is a symbol of French culture; it gives people something to be proud to have in their city. **
 * By: Jaden Easton **