FRANCE: Iconic Symbol of Paris

 

When I think of Paris there are iconic landmarks that come to mind.

Probably the first one that I think of is the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 World's Fair to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. 

It was also to show off the design, engineering, scientific, technical, innovative and cultural expertise of France.

The Eiffel Tower is one of the most visited paid monuments in the world with about 7 million visitors per year.  

   

   Gustave Eiffel did not design the Eiffel Tower, but his company built it. As the builder he named it after himself. 

Before it was built about 300 prominent intellectuals and artists opposed it and declared it would be an eyesore that would ruin the atmosphere of Paris.  

But construction still went ahead and in March 1889 the Tower was finished in record time – 2 years, 2 months and 5 days. Approximately. 

 It was intended to be a temporary structure and Gustave Eiffel had only been given a 20-year permit to use the land along the Seine River.  

 

 

 

 The tower was nearly dismantled in 1909 but was saved partly because of a giant radio antenna that scientists had used for radio transmission, military communications, experiments in aerodynamics and meteorology. 

Some Cocktail Party Trivia to impress people with:

At 300 meters (984 feet) tall when completed, it was the tallest structure in the world until the Chrysler Building in New York surpassed it 41 years later in 1930. 

The tower’s height can expand and contract by about 15 cm (6 inches) due to temperature changes affecting the metal.

The design is complicated and intricate with more than 2 million rivets holding it together.

It is painted every 7 years to prevent rust. The tower has been repainted over 18 times and uses around 60 tons of paint each time.

 

The tower is illuminated all night by 336 yellow-orange sodium lamps, which give it a golden glow after dark. 

Needless to say, it attracts a lot of people.

 

This busker was joined by a little girl that was walking by and she stopped to sing with him. She stole the show and then just walked away.

 

They have fences around the Eiffel Tower and charge to get in. It keeps the "riffraff" out.

 

We happen to be "the riffraff".