A visit to the Eiffel Tower is on the priority to-do list of every self-respecting tourist. For some, it is enough to take a photo against its background, for others it is important to go up to the observation deck, and others rush here at night to see the hourly light show - illumination and take a few pictures when the contours of the tower are up to 01: 00 are illuminated by backlight.

How to get to the Eiffel Tower

• By metro: Bir-Hakeim (M6), Trocadéro (M9)
• By train RER C: Champs de Mars - Tour Eiffel
• By bus: Tour Eiffel: No. 82, 42; Champ de Mars: No. 82, 87, 69

Eiffel Tower Tickets

Ticket prices vary depending on how you go up: on foot or by elevator. If your plans do not include visiting the upper platform, then you can save money by climbing on foot. But if you want to visit the third level, you will have to pay for an elevator that will take you from the first to the third level and back.

Ticket prices up to the second level (115 meters):

• Walking adult: 10.20 euros
• Walking youth (12-24 years): 5.10 euros
• Walking children (4-11 years): 2.50 euros
• By elevator adult: 16.30 euros
• By youth elevator: 8.10 euros
• Child: 4.10 euros

Ticket prices up to the third level (276 meters):

• Adult: 25.50 euros
• Youth (12-24 years): 12.70 euros
• Child (4-11 years): 6.40 euros

Combination ticket to the third level (stairs + elevator)

• Adult: 19.40 euros
• Youth (12-24 years): 9.70 euros
• Child (4-11 years): 4.90 euros

Schedule

The rest of the year:

• 9:30 - 23:45 - elevator; last session at 22:30 - to the second level, at 23:00 - to the third level.
• 9:30 - 18:30 - stairs; last session at 18:00.

Eiffel Tower levels

The Eiffel Tower is divided into 4 levels: ground level and three floors with observation platforms.

1. At the ground level there are ATMs, an information board, souvenir shops (in the supports of the tower), a buffet with snacks, hydraulic machines dating back to the foundation of the structure (which can only be seen during the tour), as well as a bust of G. Eiffel, which is located on the corner of the North Pillar .
2. At an altitude of 57 meters, reconstruction recently took place. Now you can walk along the first floor and see the ground under your feet; the floors here are glass and transparent. Modern computerized information stands have also been added along the terrace. Here you can see the remnant (4.30 meters high) of the staircase that originally led to the very top, to the office of G. Eiffel. Children will be interested in watching the light show, which will tell about the Eiffel Tower in an interesting way. All entertainment services are located in the Ferrié pavilion. A buffet, a relaxation area, a souvenir shop, G. Eiffel's room, which is used for various events, as well as The 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant - all this is located on the first level of the tower.
3. The second level of the tower, at an altitude of 115 meters, will be no less interesting. In addition to the observation deck, there is a souvenir shop, a buffet with organic snacks, information stands, as well as the Jules Verne restaurant.
4. At an altitude of more than 276 meters there is an observation deck of the Eiffel Tower, which offers a gorgeous view of the capital. This is where advanced tourists tend to come, so that, impressed by what they see, they can drink a glass of champagne in the Champange bar (by the way, it’s not a cheap pleasure!) In addition, here you can see the recreated office of Gustave Eiffel with wax figures, look at panoramic photographs taken from different observation platforms, as well as get acquainted with the model of the original tower built in 1889 on a scale of 1:50.

Panoramic views from the Eiffel Tower

Separately, I would like to emphasize that you should dress practically here. Bring a windproof jacket with you, as it is windy on the upper platforms. Many who have visited the tower in windy weather (which occurs quite often here) claim that the tower sways slightly. Therefore, take care of comfortable clothes and go to conquer the Eiffel Tower.

Photo of the Eiffel Tower

• (price: 43.00 €, 2.5 hours)
• (price: 25.00 €, 3 hours)
• (price: 45.00 €, 3 hours)

Skip the line to the Eiffel Tower

Near the Eiffel Tower there is always a crowd of tourists and giant queues. Those who don’t know how to avoid a three-hour standstill stand in a general queue at the ticket office, and then stand in line for the elevator, which takes you to all levels of the tower. The activity is tedious and brings little pleasure, isn’t it?

The way out of the situation is extremely simple - you need to buy a ticket in advance for a certain date and day. This can be done via the Internet. Since the method is known to many, it may happen that tickets for the day you need may be sold out. In rare cases it may work, but it is unlikely. Therefore, you need to look for tickets three months before your planned visit to Paris. Such tickets go on sale at 8:30 am local time and are sold out in the first hours.

If the date is not important, then you can find a ticket a month before the visit. By printing your ticket, you will be able to enter the Eiffel Tower without queuing, as long as you are not more than 30 minutes late from the visiting time indicated on your ticket. Therefore, it is better to be in the tower lobby 10 minutes before the indicated time.

The second way is to buy a tour, the price of which includes a skip-the-line visit to the Eiffel Tower.

• (62.50 €)
• (43.00 €)

Panoramic restaurants

It is worth briefly mentioning the restaurants of the Eiffel Tower. Prices are very high, and they grow exponentially with each level.

From the windows 58 Tour Eiffel(first level) offers a magnificent view of the Seine and the famous Trocadero. The cozy spacious rooms of the restaurant are ideal for both a romantic dinner and a gala reception (up to 200 guests).

Lunch, which costs about 50 euros, consists of three courses and a drink. The menu may include seafood, truffles, lamb and vegetables, salmon fillet with chestnut puree, dessert and a good wine list. Dinner provides a more interesting menu. For example, an appetizer of the client’s choice, a glass of champagne, a main course, an original dessert and coffee will cost about 140 euros per person. A table must be reserved in advance.

Having booked a table at Le Jules Verne(second level) the window offers a panoramic view of Paris from a 124-meter height. The luxurious interior is furnished with antique furniture, and first-class service, pleasant music and an impressive collection of wines justify such an impressive price tag on the menu.

A lunch of onion soup and cold foie gras with fig jam plus pistachio cakes will cost 90 euros, and a lobster dinner will cost at least 200 euros.

Located on the top level Champagne Bar, where you can buy a glass of real French champagne. 100 ml of champagne will cost from 13 to 22 euros.

In a word, if you don’t go broke, you can reduce the thickness of your wallet by eating at the Eiffel Tower and drinking a glass of champagne. Decide, as they say, whether you need it or not.

History of the Eiffel Tower

In 1889, with the celebration of the centenary of the revolution, the government of the Third Republic planned to shock the public. The next world trade and industrial exhibition was timed to coincide with the anniversary of democracy. Innovations in production technologies and the emergence of new types of products required widespread advertising. The exposition was a symbol of industrialization and an open platform for demonstrating the achievements of industry. This type of presentation of products and technologies began to be carried out on an ongoing basis.

Architects, wanting to look into the future and capture the imagination of visitors, proposed various options for the appearance of the pavilions. One of the original structures was a 115-meter indoor gallery of machines.

Particular attention was paid to the design of the entrance portal. The organizers organized a special competition. More than a hundred projects were proposed for consideration. Among them was a structure in the form of a huge guillotine - a symbol of the French Revolution. The main requirements were the following:

• originality of architectural appearance;
• economic efficiency;
• Possibility of dismantling after the end of the exhibition.

The proposal of G. Eiffel’s company, which designed a steel tower 300 m high, could not have come at a better time. There were no precedents for this structure in the world. However, engineering calculations were based on significant experience in the construction of railway bridges, the complexity and responsibility of the structures was not inferior to the planned tower. Well, the futuristic design was beyond competition.

These arguments persuaded the commission members in favor of Eiffel's proposal, and he was granted the privilege of the invention. Company engineers Maurice Koehlen and Emile Nugier took part in the creation of the project.

Parisians did not share the optimism of the exhibition organizers. The general public, fearing that the cyclopean structure would spoil the special architectural appearance of the capital, seriously took up arms against both Eiffel himself and the organizing committee. Shortly after the publication of the results of the competition, the Parisian newspaper “Le Temps” (Time) published a protest by prominent art figures, including Guy de Moppasant, E. Zola, A. Dumas (the younger). Writers, artists, and sculptors expressed outrage over the construction of the useless and “terrible Eiffel Tower.” The church did not stand aside either.

Clerics, maintaining general hysteria, predicted the imminent fall of the tower and the subsequent end of the world. The inertia of the clergy, bordering on ignorance, is a very characteristic phenomenon when creating revolutionary projects. Eiffel’s brainchild was branded with all sorts of offensive labels: an iron monster, the skeleton of a bell tower, a sieve in the form of a candle.

But progress and common sense cannot be stopped. The exhibition organizing committee, having approved the construction, provided only less than a quarter of the necessary funds. Eiffel offered to finance the project from his own company if he was given the exclusive right to make a profit during the entire life of its operation. An agreement was reached and the author was given one and a half million francs in gold. The miracle tower was built. The costs were recouped in just a year.

After 20 years of operation, according to the agreement, the tower was to be dismantled. Only the intervention of a powerful lobbyist could save it from demolition. And one was found in the person of the military department. Back in 1898, a transmitter was installed on the upper platform and the first radio communication session was carried out. Eiffel proposed to the Ministry of Defense to use the tower as an antenna to transmit radio signals over long distances. Thus, he was not only the builder, but also the savior of a unique structure, which became the most striking symbol of France.

The "Iron Lady", which glorified its creator, overshadowed his talent as a bridge builder and a brilliant engineer. Few people know that Gustav Eiffel designed the interior structure of the Statue of Liberty in 1885. The engineer himself said with humor that he should be jealous of the tower: the brainchild of a more famous creator.

The new building was not only the personification of creative enthusiasm, but also the embodiment of a technological breakthrough in metallurgy. The material for the tower was a special type of soft iron. It was produced through the puddling process, during which cast iron was converted into low-carbon iron. Strength characteristics allowed architects to realize the most daring plans. Thanks to its lightness and strength, it became possible to build large structures.

Construction began on January 26, 1887 on the Champ de Mars with excavation work to construct a foundation pit. To prevent groundwater from penetrating into the recess, a system of caisson devices used during the construction of bridges was used, which created excess pressure in the working space and prevented the penetration of moisture.

At the same time, continuous production of metal frame parts was launched at the Eiffel plant in the Paris suburb of Lavallois-Parre. The total number of load-bearing and shaped elements reached 18 thousand; two and a half million rivets were made for their assembly. The designers, using the techniques of shipbuilding technologies, meticulously outlined the geometry of each type of segments and the attachment points of riveted and bolted connections down to the micron. Technological holes were drilled at the factory. Already manufactured parts for other structures were also put into use. Each set of metal elements was supplied with detailed drawings and installation recommendations.

To improve the aesthetic appearance of the structure, architect Stefan Sauvestre proposed lining the metal supports of the first tier with decorative stone, as well as constructing arched structures to decorate the main entrance to the exhibition. If this solution had been implemented, the tower would have been deprived of a coherent architectural exterior.

To facilitate installation at high altitudes, the largest fragments of the structure weighed no more than three tons. When the height of the structure being built outgrew the stationary cranes, Eiffel designed original lifting mechanisms that moved along the rail guides of future elevators.

High production standards made it possible to achieve unprecedented rates of construction. During large-scale assembly on a construction site, the need to adjust individual elements was reduced to almost zero - defects in work were eliminated. Only about 300 engineers, craftsmen and installation workers were simultaneously involved in construction. The construction work was completed after two years, two months and five days. Eiffel paid special attention to safety. During the construction period, accidents were avoided; only one person died. This tragic incident had nothing to do with the production process.

On March 31, 1889, Gustav Eiffel invited officials to climb the steps to the top of the tallest structure in the world.

The curvilinear shape of the tower caused a lot of criticism from specialists contemporary to the author of the project. However, Eiffel's bold decision was dictated by the need to withstand significant wind loads and linear expansion of the metal during the hot season. Life has confirmed that the engineer was right: in the entire history of observations, during the most severe hurricane (wind speed reached almost 200 km/h), the top of the tower deviated by only 12 cm.

The structure is an elongated pyramid formed by four inclined columns. The columns, each of which has a separate foundation, are connected at two points: at a height of 57.6 m and 115.7 m. The lower connection is arranged in the shape of an arch. The first platform rests on the vault - a square with a side of 65 m. There is a restaurant of the same name and a souvenir shop. On the second tier - the side of the platform is 35 m - there is also the Jules Verne restaurant and an extensive observation deck. Initially, reservoirs for the hydraulic system of elevator mechanisms were located here. The uppermost platform measures 16 by 16 m. A separate system of passenger elevators lifts visitors to each of the tiers. Two original elevators, installed back in 1899, have survived to this day. If anyone decides to climb to the highest platform on foot, they will have to overcome 1,710 steps.

The main parameters of the tower are as follows:

• total weight of the structure is 10,100 tons;
• metal frame weight 7,300 tons;
• the initial height of the structure is 300.6 m, after the construction of a new antenna in 2010 - 324 m;
• height of the observation deck 276 m;
• the longest side length of the base is 125 m.

If you melt all the metal used and pour it onto the base area, the height of the array will be only six meters. This indicates the exceptional ergonomics of the design. Every seven years all metal surfaces are painted. This work requires up to 60 tons of material. The tower was painted in different colors in different eras. Over the past decades, an original color called “Eiffel brown” has been used.

The opening of the world exhibition was accompanied by the bright, for those times, illumination of the tower. 10 thousand acetylene lamps were used. The lighthouse installed on the top was illuminated with three colors of the French tricolor. At the beginning of the 20th century, an electric lighting system began to be installed on the structure.

In the mid-20s, the famous automobile tycoon Henri Citroen turned the tower into the world's tallest advertisement. Using 125 thousand light bulbs along the entire height, he staged a light show that alternately depicted ten images: shooting stars, the silhouette of the structure, the date of construction and the name of the concern of the same name. This event lasted nine years until 1934. In 1985, Pierre Bidault came up with the idea of ​​illuminating the tower structure from below with spotlights. More than three hundred custom-made lighting fixtures were installed at various levels. At night, sodium lamps painted the metal giant a golden color.

Modern technologies in the lighting industry have made it possible to give the world-famous monument a new look. In 2003, a team of 30 industrial climbers installed a forty-kilometer electrical wiring system, including 20 thousand light bulbs, in a few months. The cost of this update was four and a half million euros.

In May 2006, in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the European Union, the tower was illuminated in blue for the first time. And in 2008, when France presided over the Council of Europe, for six months the building was distinguished by its original illumination: a blue background with gold stars. It should be noted that the lighting system of the main symbol of France is an original design and is protected by copyright law.

How to get there

Address: 5 Avenue Anatole France, Paris 75007
Telephone: +33 892 70 12 39
Website: tour-eiffel.fr‎
Metro: Bir-Hakeim
RER train: Champ de Mars - Tour Eiffel
Working hours: 9:00 - 23:00; 9:00 - 02:00 (summer)

Ticket price

• Adult: 17 €
• Reduced: 14.5 €
• Child: 10 €

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All about the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower ([` aɪfəl taʊər] EYE-fəl TOWR; French: Tour Eiffel) is a wrought iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.

Constructed in 1887-89 as the entrance to the 1889 World's Fair, the tower was initially criticized by some of France's leading artists and intellectuals, but it soon became a cultural symbol of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The Eiffel Tower is the most visited monument in the world; 6.91 million people climbed it in 2015.

The tower is 324 meters (1,063 ft) tall, approximately the same as an 81-story building. It is the tallest building in Paris. Its base is a square, each side measuring 125 meters (410 feet). During construction, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to become the tallest man-made structure in the world. She held this title for 41 years until the Chrysler Building was completed in New York in 1930. With the addition of a broadcast antenna at the top of the tower in 1957, the Eiffel Tower again stood taller than the Chrysler Building by 5.2 meters (17 ft). Excluding transmitters, the Eiffel Tower is the second tallest structure in France after the Millau Viaduct.

The tower has three levels for visitors, with restaurants on the first and second levels. The highest platform is 276 meters (906 feet) above the ground - the highest observation deck in the European Union accessible to the public. Tickets can be purchased to take the stairs or elevator on the first and second levels. The rise from ground level to the first level is more than 300 steps, the same height from the first level to the second. Although there are stairs to the upper level, usually only an elevator is available.

History of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

The idea of ​​creating the Eiffel Tower

The design of the Eiffel Tower was conceived by Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, two senior engineers working for the Compagnie des Établissements Eiffel, following a discussion about a suitable centerpiece for the 1889 Universal Exhibition to mark the centenary of the French Revolution. Eiffel openly admitted that he drew inspiration for the tower from the Latting Observatory building in New York in 1853. In May 1884, while working from home, Kochlin sketched his idea, which he described as "a large pylon consisting of four lattice beams that stand apart at the base and come together at the top, connected to each other by metal trusses at regular intervals." Eiffel initially showed little enthusiasm, but he approved further study, and the two engineers then asked Stephen Sourest, head of the company's architectural department, to provide input on the design. Sowrest added decorative arches to the base of the tower, a glass pavilion on the first level, and other decorations.

The new version received the support of Eiffel: he bought a patent for the design, which was received by Kochlin, Nougier and Sourest, after which the project was exhibited at an exhibition of decorative arts in the fall of 1884 under the company name. On March 30, 1885, Eiffel presented his plans to the Society of Civil Engineers; after discussing the technical problems, and emphasizing the practical significance of the tower, he ended his speech by saying that the tower would become a symbol

not only the art of modern engineering, but also a symbol of the age of industry and science in which we live, and the way for which was prepared by the great scientific movement of the eighteenth century and the revolution of 1789, in whose memory this monument will be built, as an expression of gratitude to France.

Little progress was made until 1886, when Jules Grévy was re-elected as President of France and Édouard Lockroy was appointed Minister of Trade. The budget for the Exhibition was approved, and on 1 May, Lockroy announced a change to the terms of the open competition, the focus of which was the central part of the Exhibition, which made the choice of Eiffel's design a foregone conclusion, since the data was to include a study of a 300 m (980 ft) tetrahedral metal tower on Field of Mars. On May 12, a commission was created to study the scheme of Eiffel and his rivals, which after a month decided that all proposals except Eiffel's were either impractical or lacked detail.

Who was against the construction of the Eiffel Tower?

The proposed tower was the subject of controversy, attracting criticism from those who did not believe it was feasible and those who objected on artistic grounds. These objections were an expression of a long-standing debate in France about the relationship between architecture and engineering. These thoughts began to emerge in people's minds when work began on the Champ de Mars: the "Committee of Three Hundred" (one member for every meter of tower height) was formed under the leadership of the famous architect Charles Garnier, as well as some of the most important figures of art, such as Adolphe Bouguereau , Guy de Maupassant, Charles Gounod and Massenet. A petition entitled "Artists against the Eiffel Tower" was sent to the Minister of Works and Commissioner for the Exhibition, Charles Alphand, and was published by Le Temps on February 14, 1887:

“We, writers, artists, sculptors, architects and passionate admirers of the hitherto untouched beauty of Paris, will test with all our might, with all our indignation, against the infringement of French taste, against the construction... of this useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower... so that our discontent will be reasoned, imagine for a moment an absurd tower reaching to the sky, which dominates Paris like a giant black chimney, and crushes Notre Dame, Tour Saint-Jacques, the Louvre, the Dome of the Invalides, the Arc de Triomphe with its barbaric mass. All our humiliated monuments will disappear. in this terrible dream. And for twenty years... we will see how the ink stain of the hated shadow from the hated column of dangling sheet metal stretches."

Gustave Eiffel responded to these criticisms by comparing his tower to the Egyptian pyramids: “My tower will be the tallest structure ever erected by man. Why can’t it be equally grandiose? And why is it that what is delightful in Egypt becomes disgusting and ridiculous in Paris?" These criticisms were also addressed by Edouard Locroy in a letter of support written to Alphand, where he says with irony: “Judging from the majestic swell of rhythms, the beauty of metaphors, the elegance of a subtle and precise style, it can be said that this protest is the result of the collaboration of the most famous writers and poets of our time", and he explained that the protest had no significance, since the project had been decided several months earlier, and the construction of the tower was already in full swing.

Indeed, Garnier was a member of the Tower Commission that examined the various proposals, and had no objections. Eiffel was also unhappy that journalists were prematurely judging the effect of the tower solely on the basis of the drawings, that on the Champs de Mars the tower would be far enough away from the monuments mentioned in the protest and there was no threat that the tower would overwhelm them, and made an aesthetic argument in favor of the tower: “Do not the laws of the forces of nature correspond to the secret laws of harmony?”

Some of the protesters changed their minds when the tower was built; others were not satisfied. Guy de Maupassant allegedly dined in the tower's restaurant every day because it was the only place in Paris where the tower was not visible.

By 1918, the Eiffel Tower became a symbol of Paris and France after Guillaume Apollinaire wrote a nationalist poem in the shape of the tower (caligram) to express his feelings regarding the war against Germany. Today the tower is widely considered to be a remarkable piece of structural art, and often appears in films and literature.

How was the Eiffel Tower built?

Work on the foundation began on January 28, 1887. The eastern and southern bases of the tower were simple, with each beam standing on a 2 m (6.6 ft) wide concrete slab. The western and northern foothills, being closer to the Seine River, were more complex: each slab required two piles, installed using compressed air caissons 15 m (49 ft) long and 6 m (20 ft) in diameter, driven to a depth of 22 m (72 ft) to support 6 m (20 ft) thick concrete slabs. Each of these slabs is supported by a block of limestone with a sloping top to support the support block of the iron structure.

Each leg of the Eiffel Tower was secured to the masonry using a pair of bolts 10 cm (4 in) in diameter and 7.5 m (25 ft) in length. The foundation was completed on June 30, after which construction of the metal structure began. The visible work on site was complemented by the enormous amount of demanding preparatory work that took place behind the scenes: the design office produced 1,700 general drawings and 3,629 detailed drawings, 18,038 different parts needed. The task of composing the components was complicated by the difficult angles designed by the designer and the degree of precision required: the position of the rivet holes was specified to within 0.1 mm (0.0039 in) and the angles were designed to one second of arc. The finished components (some of them already forged together into knots) arrived on horse-drawn carts from the plant in the Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret. At first they were fastened with bolts, which were replaced with rivets as the construction of the tower progressed. No drilling or milling was done on site: if a part didn't fit, it was sent back to the factory to be changed. A total of 18,038 parts were joined together using 2.5 million rivets.

The legs were initially cantilevered, but about halfway up the first level, construction was stopped to create a timber platform. This reopening raised concerns about the tower's structural integrity, as well as sensationalist tabloid headlines: "Eiffel Suicide!" and "Gustave Eiffel went mad: he was imprisoned in a mental hospital." At this stage, a small "creeping" crane was installed, designed to move up the tower in each leg. They used elevator guides that had to be installed in four legs. The critical stage of joining the legs on the first level was completed by the end of March 1888. Although the metalwork was prepared with great attention to detail, minor adjustments were later made to align the legs; hydraulic jacks capable of exerting a force of 800 tons were fitted to the beams at the base of each leg, and the legs were deliberately built at a slightly steeper angle than necessary, supported by sandboxes on the platform. Although 300 workers were involved in the construction, only one person died. Eiffel developed strict safety measures, the use of movable ladders, handrails and screens.

Elevators in the Eiffel Tower

Equipping the tower with high-quality and safe passenger elevators was a serious issue for the government commission overseeing the Exposition. Although some visitors would have been able to ascend to the first level, and even the second, the main means of ascent would definitely have been elevators.

Construction of the elevators to reach the first level was relatively simple: the legs were wide enough at the bottom and straight enough to contain a straight path. The contract was awarded to the French company "Roux, Combaluzier & Lepape" for two elevators, which were installed in the east and west legs. "Roux, Combaluzier & Lepape" used a pair of endless chains with rigid, hinged links to which the machine was attached. Weight some of the chain links were balanced by the heavy weight of the machine. The machine was raised from the bottom up, rather than lowered from the top: to prevent the chain from losing stability, it was enclosed in a pipe. At the bottom of the run, the chains ran around the sprockets with a diameter of 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in). ) Smaller sprockets at the top controlled the chains.

Installing elevators leading to the second level was a more difficult task, since a direct route was not possible. No French company wanted to take on this work. The European branch of Otis Brothers & Company made a proposal, but this proposal was rejected: the rules of the fair excluded the use of any foreign materials in the construction of the tower. The deadline for bids was extended, but the French companies were slow to come forward and the contract was eventually awarded to Otis in July 1887. Otis was confident that the contract would eventually be awarded to them and had already set about creating project.

The elevator was divided into two overlapping compartments, each to hold 25 passengers, with the elevator operator occupying the outer platform on the first level. Propulsion was provided by an inclined hydraulic rod 12.67 m (41 ft 7 in) long and 96.5 cm (38.0 in) in diameter, which was mounted in the foot of the tower with a 10.83 m (35 ft) stroke 6 inches): this required a wagon with six pulleys. Five fixed pulleys were mounted above the leg, creating a device similar to a block and tackle but acting in reverse, multiplying the stroke of the piston rather than the force produced. The hydraulic pressure in the control cylinder was produced by a large open reservoir on the second level. Once exhausted from the cylinder, the water was pumped back into a two-pump reservoir in the engine room at the base of the south leg. This reservoir also provided power to the first level lifts.

The original elevators for travel between the second and third levels were supplied by Leon Edux. A pair of 81-metre (266 ft) hydraulic rams were installed on the second level and extended almost halfway to the third level. One elevator machine was mounted on top of these cylinders, with cables running from the top to the pulleys on the third level and back down to the second machine. Each lift only covered half the distance between the second and third levels and passengers were required to change lifts halfway using a short ramp. Each 10-ton vehicle could carry 65 passengers.

Official opening of the Eiffel Tower

The main structural work was completed at the end of March 1889. On March 31, Eiffel celebrated the tower's completion by leading a group of government officials, accompanied by members of the press, to the top of the tower. Since elevators were not yet operational, the ascent was made on foot, and took an hour as Eiffel stopped frequently to explain the various functions. Most of the group decided to stay at the lower levels, but several of them, including structural engineer Emile Nouguier, construction manager Jean Compagnon, the Chairman of the City Council and reporters from Le Figaro and Le Monde Illustre, climbed to the upper level of the tower . At 14:35, Eiffel raised the large tricolor to the accompaniment of a 25-gun salute on the first level.

But there was still a lot of work to be done, particularly on the elevators and equipment, and the tower was not open to the public for another nine days after the exhibition opened on May 6; even then, the elevators were not completed. The towers were an instant hit with the public, and nearly 30,000 visitors took 1,710 steps to reach the top before the lifts went into service (May 26). Tickets cost 2 francs for the first level, 3 for the second and 5 for the upper part, half price on Sundays. By the end of the exhibition, the number of visitors totaled 1,896,987 people.

After dark, the tower was illuminated by hundreds of gas lamps, and the lighthouse sent out three beams of red, white and blue light. Two spotlights mounted on a circular track were used to illuminate the various buildings of the exposition. The daily opening and closing of the exhibition was accompanied by the roar of cannons at the top of the tower.

The second level was occupied by the office of the French newspaper "Le Figar". There was also a printing press for printing special souvenir editions from "Le Figaro de la Tour". They also sold baked goods there.

There was a post office at the top from where visitors could send letters and postcards to commemorate their visit to the tower. There was also the opportunity to write down your impressions of the tower on sheets of paper specially installed for visitors on the walls. Gustave Eiffel described some of the reviews as "vraiment curieuse" ("truly curious").

The tower was visited by such famous figures as the Prince of Wales, Sarah Bernhardt, "Buffalo Bill" Cody (his "Wild West show" attracted attention to the exhibition) and Thomas Edison. Eiffel invited Edison to his apartment at the top of the tower, where Edison presented him with one of his gramophones, a new invention and one of the many highlights of the exhibition. Edison signed the guest book with this message:

"For M. Eiffel - the engineer, the brave builder of such a gigantic and original piece of modern technology from the one who has the greatest respect and admiration of all engineers, including the great engineer Bon Dew, Thomas Edison."

After some debate about the exact location of the tower, a contract was signed on January 8, 1887. It was signed by Eiffel on his own behalf rather than as a representative of his company. He was given 1.5 million francs for construction costs: less than a quarter of approximately 6.5 million francs. Eiffel was to receive all profits from the commercial operation of the tower during the exhibition and for the next 20 years. He later created a separate company to manage the tower, investing half of the required capital from his own pocket.

Why wasn't the Eiffel Tower demolished?

Eiffel had permission for the tower to stand for 20 years. It was to be dismantled in 1909, when it became the property of the city of Paris. The city planned to demolish the tower (part of the rules of the competition to design the tower was that it must be easily dismantled), but since the tower proved valuable for communications purposes, it was allowed to remain after the permit expired.

Eiffel used his apartment at the top of the tower to make meteorological observations and also used the tower to conduct experiments on the effects of air resistance on falling bodies.

Reconstruction of the Eiffel Tower

Before the 1900 World's Fair, the elevators carrying passengers to the second level in the east and west legs were replaced by elevators from the French company Fives-Lille. They had a compensating mechanism to maintain the floor level as the angle of elevation changed at the first level. The elevators were operated by a similar hydraulic mechanism as the Otis elevators, although they were located at the base of the tower. Hydraulic pressure was provided by sealed accumulators located near this mechanism. At the same time, the lift to the first level in the north leg was removed and replaced with a staircase. The layout of the first and second levels has been changed. A space accessible to visitors on the second level was organized. The original elevator at the south leg was removed thirteen years later.

On October 19, 1901, Alberto Santos-Dumont, flying in his airship No. 6, won the prize of 100,000 francs, which was offered to him by Henri Deutsche de la Meerte, as the first person to fly from Saint-Cloud to the Eiffel Tower and back in less than in less than half an hour.

At the beginning of the 20th century, many innovations occurred at the Eiffel Tower. In 1910, Theodore Wolf's father measured radiation levels at the top and bottom of the tower. At the top, he discovered, as he expected, what is today known as cosmic rays. Just two years later, on February 4, 1912, Austrian tailor Franz Reichel died after jumping from the first level of the tower (57 meters high) to demonstrate his parachute design. In 1914, at the start of World War I, a radio transmitter located in the tower jammed German radio communications, seriously hampering their advance through Paris and contributing to the Allied victory at the First Battle of the Marne. From 1925 to 1934, illuminated Citroën signs adorned three sides of the tower, making it the highest advertising space in the world at the time. In April 1935, the tower was used for experimental low-resolution television transmission using a 200-watt shortwave transmitter. On November 17, an improved 180-line transmitter was installed.

Interesting facts from the history of the Eiffel Tower

Sale of the Eiffel Tower

On two separate but related occasions in 1925, fraudster Victor Lustig "sold" the tower for scrap. A year later, in February 1926, pilot Leon Collet died while trying to fly under the tower. His plane became entangled in an antenna belonging to a wireless station. On May 2, 1929, a bust of Gustav Eiffel by Antoine Bourdelle was unveiled at the base of the northern leg. In 1930, the tower lost its title as the tallest structure in the world when the Chrysler Building was completed in New York. In 1938, the decorative arcade around the first level was removed.

After the German occupation of Paris in 1940, the lifting cables were cut by the French. The tower was closed to the public during the occupation and the elevators were not restored until 1946. In 1940, German soldiers had to climb the tower to raise a swastika, but the flag was so large that it was blown away just a few hours later, after which it was replaced by a smaller one. When visiting Paris, Hitler decided not to climb the tower. In August 1944, as the Allies approached Paris, Hitler ordered General Dietrich von Choltitz, the military governor of Paris, to demolish the tower along with the rest of the city. Von Choltitz disobeyed orders. On June 25, before the Germans were expelled from Paris, the Nazi flag was replaced by the tricolor by two men from the French naval museum, who were nearly beaten by three men led by Lucien Sarniguette, who lowered the tricolor on June 13, 1940, when Paris fell in front of the Germans.

Fire at the Eiffel Tower

On January 3, 1956, a fire started at the television transmitter, damaging the top of the tower. It took a year to repair, and in 1957, the radio antenna that had previously been there was attached to the top. In 1964, the Minister of Cultural Affairs André Malraux officially recognized the Eiffel Tower as a historical monument. A year later, an additional lifting system was installed in the northern column.

According to the interview, in 1967, Montreal Mayor Jean-Dropau made a secret agreement with Charles de Gaulle that the tower should be dismantled and temporarily moved to Montreal to serve as a landmark and tourist attraction during Expo 67. The plan was allegedly vetoed by the tower's operating company out of fear that the French government might refuse permission to rebuild the tower in its original location.

Replacing elevators at the Eiffel Tower

In 1982, the original elevators between the second and third levels were replaced after 97 years of service. They were closed to the public between November and March because the water in the hydraulic drive tended to freeze. The new machines work in pairs, one counterbalancing the other, and make the journey in one stage, cutting travel time from eight minutes to less than two minutes. At the same time, two new fire escapes were installed to replace the original spiral staircases. In 1983, the south column was equipped with an electrically driven Otis elevator to serve the Jules Verne restaurant. Installed in 1899, the Fives-Lille elevators, which ascend the east and west columns, were completely renovated in 1986. The machines were replaced and a computer system was installed to fully automate them. The driving force was transferred from the water hydraulic system to the new electrically driven oil hydraulics, and the original water hydraulics were retained solely as a counterbalance system. Three years later, a service elevator was added to the south pillar to move small loads and maintenance personnel.

On March 31, 1984, Robert Moriarty flew a Beechcraft Bonanza under the tower. In 1987, AJ Hackett made one of his first bungee jumps from the top of the Eiffel Tower using a special cord he helped develop. Hackett was detained by police. On October 27, 1991, Thierry Devaux, along with mountain guide Hervé Calvairac, performed a series of acrobatic feats along with bungee jumping on the second floor of the tower. Deveaux used an electric winch between the figures in front of the Champs de Mars to return to the second floor. He stopped after the sixth jump when firefighters arrived.

Lights and night illumination of the Eiffel Tower

On December 31, 1999, to celebrate the "Countdown to 2000", flashing lights and powerful spotlights were installed on the tower. Fireworks flickered around the tower. An exhibition above the cafeteria on the first floor was dedicated to this event. The floodlights at the top of the tower made it a beacon in the night sky of Paris, and 20,000 flashing lights gave the tower a brilliant appearance for five minutes every hour.

On December 31, 2000, the lights sparkled blue for several nights to usher in the new millennium. The brilliant illumination continued for 18 months until July 2001. The sparkling lights were turned on again on June 21, 2003, and the spectacle was planned to last for 10 years, after which the bulbs would need to be replaced.

Eiffel Tower attendance

On November 28, 2002, the 200,000,000th guest visited the tower. In 2003, the tower operated at maximum capacity and was visited by approximately 7 million people. In 2004, a seasonal ice skating rink was installed on the first level of the Eiffel Tower. During the 2014 renovation, a glass floor was installed on the first level.

Characteristics of the Eiffel Tower

What metal is the Eiffel Tower made of?

The wrought iron weight of the Eiffel Tower is 7,300 tons, and with the addition of elevators, shops and antennas, the total weight is about 10,100 tons. As a demonstration of the economics of the design, if 7,300 tons of metal were melted into the structure, it would fill a square base, 125 meters (410 ft) on each side, to a depth of only 6.25 cm (2.46 in), assuming a metal density of 7.8 tons per cubic meter. In addition, the cubic box surrounding the tower (324 m x 125 m x 125 m) would contain 6,200 tons of air, weighing almost as much as the iron itself. Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the tower can move away from the sun by up to 18 cm (7 in) due to thermal expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun.

Stability of the Eiffel Tower structure

When the tower was built, many were shocked by its bold shape. Eiffel was accused of trying to create something artistic without paying attention to design principles. However, Eiffel and his team - experienced bridge builders - understood the importance of wind forces, and knew that if they were going to build the tallest building in the world, they had to make sure it could withstand these forces. In an interview for the newspaper Le Temps, published on February 14, 1887, Eiffel said:

Isn't it true that the very conditions that give strength also correspond to the hidden rules of harmony?...Consequently, what phenomenon should I have paid the main attention to when designing the Tower? This is wind resistance. Well then! I believe that the curvature of the four outer edges of the monument, which according to mathematical calculations should have been ... will give a great impression of strength and beauty, since it will reveal to the eye of the observer the boldness of the design as a whole.

He more often used graphical methods to determine the strength of the tower and empirical data to account for the influence of wind instead of mathematical formulas. Close examination of the tower reveals a mostly exponential shape. Careful work was carried out on every detail of the tower to ensure maximum resistance to wind force. The top half even suggested there were no gaps in the grille. In the years following the project's completion, engineers came up with various mathematical hypotheses in an attempt to explain its success. The most recent, developed in 2004 after letters sent by Eiffel to the French Society of Civil Engineers in 1885 were translated into English, is described as a nonlinear integral equation based on the opposition of wind pressure on any point of the tower with tension between the elements structures at this point.

Does the Eiffel Tower swing?

The Eiffel Tower sways up to 9 cm (3.5 inches) in the wind.

What's inside the Eiffel Tower?

When the Eiffel Tower was built, there were three restaurants on the first level - one French, one Russian and one Flemish, as well as an Anglo-American Bar. After the exhibition was closed, the Flemish Restaurant was converted into a theater with 250 seats. A 2.6 meter (8 ft 6 in) wide walkway ran outside the first level. At the top, there were laboratories for various experiments, as well as small apartments that served Gustave Eiffel to entertain guests. The apartment is now open to the public, complete with period decorations as well as lifelike mannequins of Eiffel and some of his notable guests.

In May 2016, an apartment was created on the first level to accommodate the four competition winners in June during the UEFA Euro 2016 football tournament in Paris. The apartment has a kitchen, two bedrooms, a living room and views of Parisian landmarks including the Seine, Sacre Coeur and the Arc de Triomphe.

Passenger elevators in the Eiffel Tower

The location of the elevators has been changed several times during the tower's history. Given the elasticity of the cables and the time required to level the cars with the seats, each round trip, with normal service, takes an average of 8 minutes and 50 seconds, spending an average of 1 minute and 15 seconds at each level. Average travel time between levels is 1 minute. The original hydraulic mechanism is on display in a small museum at the base of the east and west legs. Because the mechanism requires frequent lubrication and maintenance, public access is often limited. Visitors can see the north tower's rope mechanism as they exit the elevator.

Lettering on the Eiffel Tower

Gustave Eiffel engraved the names of 72 French scientists, engineers and mathematicians on the tower in recognition of their contributions to the tower's construction. Eiffel chose this "challenge of science" because of his concern about the artists' protest. At the beginning of the 20th century, the engravings were painted over, but in 1986-87 they were restored by the Société Nouvelle d'exploitation de la Tour Eiffel company working for the tower.

The aesthetic appearance of the Eiffel Tower

The tower is painted in three shades: lighter at the top, it gradually becomes darker towards the bottom and perfectly complements the Parisian sky. Originally it was reddish brown; this color changed in 1968 to bronze, known as "Eiffel Tower Brown".

The only non-structural elements are four decorative lattice arches added in Soverre's sketches, which served to make the tower more substantial and create a more impressive entrance to the exhibition.

Where can you see the Eiffel Tower?

One of the great clichés of Hollywood is that the view from a Paris window always includes a tower. In fact, since zoning restrictions allow the height of most buildings in Paris to be seven stories, only a small number of high-rise buildings have a clear view of the tower.

Eiffel Tower Maintenance

Maintenance of the tower includes applying 60 tons of paint every seven years to prevent corrosion. The tower has been completely repainted at least 19 times since it was built. Lead paint was used until 2001, when the practice was stopped out of concern for the environment.

Eiffel Tower and tourism

Where is the Eiffel Tower located?

The nearest metro station is "Bir-Hakeim" and the nearest RER station is "Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel". The tower itself is located at the intersection of the Branly embankment and Pont d'Iéna.

Popularity of the Eiffel Tower among tourists

More than 250 million people have visited the tower since it was completed in 1889. In 2015 there were 6.91 million visitors. The tower is the most visited monument in the world. On average 25,000 people climb the tower every day, which can lead to long queues. To avoid queues, tickets can be purchased online.

Eiffel Tower Restaurants

The tower has two restaurants: "Le 58 Tour Eiffel" on the first level, and "Le Jules Verne", a gourmet restaurant with private elevator, on the second level. This restaurant has one star in the Michelin Red Guide. Its author is Michelin star chef Alain Ducasse, who owes his name to the famous science fiction writer Jules Verne.

Replicas of the Eiffel Tower in cities around the world

As one of the most iconic landmarks in the world, the Eiffel Tower has inspired many replicas and similar towers. An early example is Blackpool Tower in England. The mayor of Blackpool, Sir John Bickerstaff, was so impressed when he saw the Eiffel Tower at the 1889 exhibition that he commissioned a similar tower to be built in his town. It was opened in 1894 and rose to 158.1 meters (518 feet). The designers of Tokyo Tower in Japan, built for communications in 1958, were also inspired by the Eiffel Tower.

There are various scale models of the tower in the United States, including a half scale model of the Paris Tower in Las Vegas, Nevada, one in Texas built in 1993, and two 1:3 scale models in Kings Island, Ohio. and King's Dominion (Virginia), amusement parks that opened in 1972 and 1975, respectively. Two 1:3 scale models can be found in China, one in Durango (Mexico) that was donated to the local French community, and several more throughout Europe.

In 2011, the National Geographic Channel TV show "Pricing the Priceless" suggested that it would cost about $480 million to build a full-size replica of the tower.

Functions of the Eiffel Tower

The tower has been used to provide radio transmissions since the early 20th century. Until the 1950s, sets of overhead wires ran from the top of the tower to anchors at Avenue de Suffren and Champ de Mars. They were connected to long-wave transmitters in small bunkers. In 1909, a permanent underground radio center was built under the south pillar, which still exists today. On November 20, 1913, the Paris Observatory used the Eiffel Tower as an antenna to exchange wireless signals with the United States Naval Observatory, which used an antenna in Arlington, Virginia. The purpose of the transmissions was to measure the difference in longitude between Paris and Washington, DC. Today, radio and television signals are transmitted using the Eiffel Tower.

FM radio

TV antenna on the Eiffel Tower

A television antenna was first installed on the tower in 1957, increasing its height by 18.7 m (61.4 ft). Work carried out in 2000 added a further 5.3 m (17.4 ft), giving the current height of 324 m (1,063 ft). Analog television signals from the Eiffel Tower were discontinued on March 8, 2011.

Why can't you photograph the Eiffel Tower at night?

The tower and its image have long been in the public domain. However, in June 1990, a French court ruled that the special lighting of the display on the tower in 1989, which commemorated the tower's 100th anniversary, was an "original visual design" that was protected by copyright. The Court of Cassation, France's court of last resort, upheld the decision in March 1992. "The Société d"Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel" currently considers any illumination of the tower to be a separate work of art that is subject to copyright. As a result, SNTE argues that it is illegal to publish contemporary photographs of the illuminated tower at night for commercial use without permits in France and some other countries.

The introduction of copyright was controversial. The Director of Documentation of the then-called "Société Nouvelle d'exploitation de la Tour Eiffel" (SNTE), commented on this in 2005: "It's really just a way of managing the commercial use of the image, so that it's not used in ways that we don't approve of." SNTE ( the company that manages the Eiffel Tower) earned more than €1 million from royalties in 2002. However, it can also be used to restrict the publication of tourist photographs of the tower at night, as well as to discourage non-commercial and semi-commercial publication of images of the illuminated tower.

French doctrine and jurisprudence allows photographing of an illuminated copyrighted work if its presence is incidental or ancillary to the subject represented, which is analogous to the rule "De minimis" ("The law does not care about minutiae"). Therefore, SETE may not be able to claim copyright for photographs of Paris that may include the illuminated tower.

Eiffel Tower in popular culture

The Eiffel Tower is depicted in films, video games and television shows as a global landmark.

In a commitment ceremony in 2007, American Erica Eiffel "married" the Eiffel Tower; her relationship with the tower has been the subject of widespread global publicity.

Despite being the tallest structure in the world upon completion in 1889, the Eiffel Tower has lost its reputation as both the tallest lattice tower and the tallest structure in France. The height with the new antenna is 324 meters (as of 2010)

The Eiffel Tower is the main symbol of Paris and all of France. Who among us would not like to be in the most magical, romantic and beautiful city on earth - Paris. It is full of colors, the French capital is captivating, opening up a new, completely unknown world. Each of us has always dreamed of strolling along the Champs Elysees, walking through the halls of Versailles, and, of course, seeing the city from a bird's eye view by climbing the Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower weight

The weight of this creation of engineering is 10,100 tons, and the weight of the metal structure itself is 7,300 tons. Today, thanks to the development of technology, this amount of metal would be enough for several similar structures.

Height of the Eiffel Tower

For four decades, the Eiffel Tower with a height of 300 meters (in 2010, thanks to the installed antenna, the height increased to 324 meters) was considered the tallest in the world and was almost twice as tall as buildings of that time, such as and.

Height of the lower tier

Middle tier height

Top tier height

• From the 2nd floor, namely from 115 m, in 2010 a world record for roller jumping was set.
• In 2012, Alain Robert climbed to the top of the monument without insurance.
• The Eiffel Tower has an exclusive color called “Eiffel Brown”.
• About two thousand kilograms of paper are required to print day tickets for visitors to the Iron Lady.
• In 2007, American Erica Labrie took the Eiffel Tower as her husband. The government did not recognize the marriage, but the woman was allowed to change her name to Erica La Tour Eiffel.
• The creator of the Iron Lady spent 8,000,000 francs from his own funds on the construction, which paid off in the first year after opening.
• The tower repeatedly changed its appearance from red-brown to yellow.
• Since 2004, the first floor has been poured. This year it is stylized with a hockey theme.
• The total length of the path to the top of the Eiffel Tower is 1792 steps.
• More than 6 million tourists visit the monument every year, and up to 30 thousand people a day.
• The amount of energy consumed by the tower is 7.8 million kWh per year to power 5 billion lamps and lanterns.
• 300 millionth visitor expected in 2017
• One share of the Eiffel Tower costs approximately 40 euros on the stock exchange.

• The total number of structural elements is 18,038 and they are connected by more than 2,500,000 rivets.
• The total area of ​​the metal structure is 250 thousand m2
• Painting the building costs 4,000,000 euros (2009 data); it is painted once every 7 years.
• Painting takes more than 60 tons of paint in 3 shades
• Misfortunes have also accompanied this monument since June 15, 1898. Already about 400 people have committed suicide.
• The tower deviates from the wind by only 15 cm, and on a sunny day its inclination is 18 cm.
• Service personnel 350 people.
• Ground pressure 4 kg. cm 2
• The view from the top observation deck is almost 70 km. in good weather.
• The Eiffel Tower is considered the most expensive monument in Europe, its cost is 435 million

Eiffel Tower project

The anniversary of the French Revolution has arrived, and in honor of this, the authorities decided to organize an exhibition, creating something that would be remembered for a long time. The administration commissioned the famous engineer Gustav Eiffel to make a project and make proposals for the construction of the future structure. Gustav was surprised, but after painstaking work he submitted for consideration to the city administration an original, complex and unusual drawing for those times - an iron tower rising three hundred meters. According to historical information, the engineer had a similar idea and initial drawing for a long time, but he did not pay much attention to them due to the complexity of the work and busyness.

In 1884, he received a patent for the creation of the project, after purchasing the exclusive right.

Two years later, a competition was launched that determined the appearance of the exhibition. 107 very diverse projects took part in it, many of them repeated the drawings of the Eiffel Tower, but did not surpass it.

Very unusual proposals were offered for the exhibition, for example, a huge guillotine - a special mechanism for carrying out the death penalty by cutting off the head, reminiscent of all the horrors of the revolution. Another interesting proposal was a tower made of stone, the construction was supposed to surpass the Washington Monument in the USA. The idea was immediately abandoned due to the inconvenience of constructing the structure only from stone.

Eiffel's project was one of the four lucky winners. In order for the tower to correspond to the aesthetic ensemble of the city, final changes were made, and then the drawing was finally approved.

After approval, the difficult task was to build the Eiffel Tower in two years. This became possible thanks to special construction methods.

Many members of the public were against the iron colossus right in the center of Paris, so Stéphane Sauvestre was invited to work on the aesthetic appearance. He put forward several conceptual solutions for upgrading the iron structure, proposed covering the lower supports with stones, and connecting the base and first floor using a patterned arch. It was proposed to glaze the halls, make the top round, and the final touch was to use decorative elements along the entire height.

An agreement was signed with Eiffel, as an engineer and creator, he was provided with it for personal use and rent for twenty-five years, plus considerable subsidies. It is worth noting that the Eiffel Tower fully paid for itself during the exhibition, and an excursion to it is still a profitable business today.

Construction of the Eiffel Tower

The construction of the Eiffel Tower took just over two years, all thanks to carefully crafted drawings. They indicated the exact dimensions of about twelve thousand different metal parts. More than two and a half million rivets were used to assemble the structure. To carry out faster work, several parts were assembled into single blocks on the ground, and holes for rivets were drilled in advance. Each of the iron blocks weighed no more than three tons, this made it easier to install them at height.

At first, cranes were used, and when the tower outgrew them, Gustav came up with special mobile cranes that moved on rails, and then elevators were launched in their place.

Due to the tight deadlines and high height of the structure, Eiffel paid great attention to safety. During the entire period there were no fatal incidents, which is quite surprising for that period.

Paradoxically, the most difficult work was carried out on the lower platform; it supported the multi-ton structure, preventing it from sagging, tilting or collapsing. The entire structure has an excellent oscillatory trajectory, which prevents it from falling due to strong winds.

From the diaries of eyewitnesses to those events one can find enthusiastic stories about the construction of the Eiffel Tower.

Many Parisians were sincerely surprised and admired by such a fast-growing, huge iron giant in the very center of the city.

And so, on March 31, 1889, twenty-six months later, the engineer invited officials for the first ascent; 1,710 steps had to be overcome.

Reaction to the Eiffel Tower

According to the agreement with the engineer, the Eiffel Tower was supposed to be dismantled in twenty years, but the unusual structure was very popular with visitors to the exhibition and guests of the capital, and was a resounding success. In just 6 months, more than two million people visited it.

“The Iron Lady,” as the people called the building, caused quite a controversial reaction. After the project was approved and throughout the construction, the mayor's office and administration received letters and petitions demanding that the construction be stopped. Activists believed that the Eiffel Tower would destroy the aesthetic ensemble of the city, built over many centuries. They called it an ugly, tasteless, huge iron pipe. Many were indignant at the shadow cast by the tower, saying that there was nowhere to hide from it; it could be seen from anywhere in the city.

A restaurant was created on the ground floor, which is still open today. One day, Guy de Maupassant, the famous French writer, who was having lunch at a restaurant, was asked why he chose this particular place. To which he gave a very categorical answer, saying: “That this restaurant is the only place in all of Paris from where you can’t see the tower.” But the “iron lady” stood for more than twenty years; now it is impossible to imagine the city without her.

Eiffel Tower lights

When night falls on the city, the Eiffel Tower lights up with thousands of small lights, a spectacle of indescribable beauty, it is simply impossible to take your eyes off it. Usually it glows with golden lights, but during special events or mourning events, it is painted in the colors of the flags of various countries, inscriptions are projected on it, or a color is chosen to symbolize the upcoming event.

Where is the Eiffel Tower

The symbol of Paris is located in the 7th arrondissement, near the Quai Branly on the banks of the Seine River.

There are several metro stations 5–10 minutes from the Eiffel Tower:

• Trocadero station, overlooking Trocadero Square, metro lines 6 and 9. You just need to walk a little, pass the gardens - a park area decorated with fountains and a bridge over the river.

• Bir-Hakeim station, metro line 6. Suburban trains, line C, also go to the same station. You will get off at the embankment, from here you can walk just a couple of minutes, enjoying the views of the Seine.

• Ecole Militaire station, line eight. It is the furthest from the famous landmark, but is notable for the fact that it runs through the famous Champs de Mars park.

Don’t neglect buses (42, 69, 72, 82, 87) or walking, so you can enjoy the city in person, and not be crowded in stuffy subway cars.

View of the Eiffel Tower

Google panorama of the Eiffel Tower.

A few days before Hitler was due to visit occupied Paris, the elevator in the Eiffel Tower broke down. The breakdown turned out to be so serious that the engineers were unable to repair the lift during the war. The Fuhrer was not able to visit the top of the largest building in France. The elevator started working only when Paris was liberated from the Nazi invaders - literally a few hours later. That is why the French say that although Hitler managed to conquer France, he still could not capture the Eiffel Tower.

If you look closely at the map of Paris, the capital of France, in order to find out where the Eiffel Tower is located, you will see that it is located in the western part of the city, on the Champs de Mars, on the left bank of the Seine, not far from the Jena Bridge, which connects the Quai Branly with the opposite shore. You can find out exactly where the Eiffel Tower is located on the geographical map of the world using the following coordinates: 48° 51′ 29″ N. la., 2° 17′ 40″ e. d.

Now the silhouette of the Eiffel Tower is a symbol of Paris, but once upon a time, from the first days of its existence, it caused a mixed reaction among both the French and guests of the city. While tourists admired its weight, size and unusual design, many Parisians were categorically against its presence in the capital and repeatedly demanded that the authorities dismantle this grandiose structure.

The Eiffel Tower was saved from the planned demolition (the weight of the iron structure attracted more than one company in the field of metallurgy) only because the era of radio frequency waves had arrived - and it was this structure that was best suited for installing radio antennas.

The idea of ​​creating a tower

The history of the Eiffel Tower began when the French decided to organize a world exhibition dedicated to the centenary of the French Revolution, which occurred in 1789. To this end, a competition was launched throughout the country to select the best engineering and architectural projects that could be presented at the planned event and that could demonstrate the technical achievements of France over the past decade.

Among the competition entries, most of the proposals were similar to each other and were a variation of the Eiffel Tower, which the judges decided to choose. Interesting fact: although Gustave Eiffel is considered to be the author of the project, in reality the idea was submitted by his collaborators - Emile Nouguier and Maurice Koechlen. Their version had to be modified somewhat, since the Parisians, who preferred more refined architecture, found it too “dry”.

It was decided to cover the lower part of the structure with stone, and on the ground floor to connect the supports and the platform of the tower with arches, which would also serve as the entrance to the exhibition. He came up with the idea of ​​arranging glazed halls on all three tiers of the structure, and giving the top of the structure a rounded shape and decorating it with various decorative elements.

Construction

Interesting fact: half of the money for the construction of the Eiffel Tower was allocated by Gustave Eiffel himself (the rest of the amount was contributed by three French banks). For this, an agreement was signed with him, according to which the future structure was leased to the engineer for a quarter of a century, and compensation was also provided, which was supposed to cover 25% of his expenses.

The tower paid for itself even before the exhibition closed (during the six months of its operation, more than 2 million people came to see the structure, unprecedented at that time), so its further operation brought Eiffel a lot of money.

The creation of the Eiffel Tower took very little time: two years, two months and five days. Interesting fact: only three hundred workers were involved in the construction, and not a single death was recorded, which at that time was a kind of achievement.

Such a rapid pace of construction is primarily explained by high-quality drawings, which indicated the absolutely accurate dimensions of all metal parts (and their number exceeded 18 thousand). When assembling the tower, completely finished parts were used with holes made, two thirds of which had pre-installed rivets.

An important role was played by the fact that the weight of the parts did not exceed three tons - this greatly facilitated their lifting to the top.

The construction involved cranes, which, after the tower had significantly exceeded their height, lifted the parts to their maximum level, from where they fell into mobile cranes that moved upward along rails that were laid for elevators.

Just two years after the start of construction work, the Eiffel Tower was built and its chief engineer, on March 31, 1989, hoisted the French flag over the structure - and the opening of the Eiffel Tower took place. That same evening, it shone with multi-colored lights: a lighthouse was installed on top of the structure, glowing in the colors of the French flag, two searchlights and about 10 thousand gas lamps (they were later replaced by 125 thousand electric light bulbs).

Nowadays, the Eiffel Tower is “dressed” at night in a golden robe, which sometimes changes its color depending on the events taking place.

What does the symbol of France look like?

The size of the Eiffel Tower amazed Parisians even before the completion of construction work - no one in the world had ever seen such a structure. What a grandiose structure appeared in front of them is evidenced by the following facts: it was much taller than all existing structures at that time: the Cheops pyramid had a height of 146 meters, Cologne and Ulm Cathedrals - 156 and 161 meters, respectively (a building of higher dimensions was erected only in 1930 - it was the New York Chrysler Building with a height of 319 m).

Immediately after completion of construction, the height of the Eiffel Tower was about three hundred meters (in our time, thanks to the antenna installed on its top, the height of the Eiffel Tower in the spire is 324 m). You can climb the tower to the second floor by steps - there are 1,792 of them in total - or by elevator. From the second to the third - only on the lift. Anyone who decides to climb so high will definitely not regret it: the view from the Eiffel Tower is magnificent - all of Paris is at your fingertips.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris shocked contemporaries with its unusual shape for the capital, and therefore the project was repeatedly subjected to merciless criticism.

The designer argued that this particular configuration is the best option for successfully withstanding the force of the wind (as time has shown, he was right: even the strongest hurricane, which swept through the capital at a speed of 180 km/h, deflected the top of the tower by only 12 cm). There is no doubt that in appearance the Eiffel Tower somewhat resembles an elongated pyramid, the weight of which is many tons.

Below, at the same distance from each other, there are four square columns, the length of each side of such a column is 129.3 meters and they all go up at a slight angle with an inclination towards each other. These columns, at a level of 57 m, connect a vault decorated with arches, on which the first tier measuring 65 by 65 m is installed (a restaurant is located here). It is interesting that under this floor, on all sides, the names of seventy-two of the most famous French designers and scientists are stamped, as well as everyone who took a significant part in the construction of the tower.

From the first platform, at a slight angle, four more columns rise towards each other, which come together at a height of 115 m, and the size of the second floor is half as large - 35 by 35 meters (there is a restaurant here, and previously there were also tanks with intended for elevator with machine oil). The four columns located on the second tier also go up at an angle, coming closer until, at a height of 190 m, they converge into one column, on which, at a level of 276 m, a third floor of 16.5 by 16.5 meters is installed (an astronomical and meteorological observatory and physics room).

A lighthouse was installed above the third floor, the light from which can be seen at a distance of 10 km, which is why the Eiffel Tower looks indescribably beautiful at night, as it shines with blue, white and red light - the colors of the national flag of France. Three hundred meters from the ground above the lighthouse, a very small platform was installed - 1.4 by 1.4 meters, on which there is now a twenty-meter spire.

As for the mass of the structure, its weight is 7.3 thousand tons (the weight of the total mass of the structure is 10.1 thousand tons). Interesting fact: over all the years of its existence, the Eiffel Tower was sold by particularly successful entrepreneurs about two dozen times (the weight of the metal of the world-famous structure attracted more than one buyer). For example, in 1925, the Eiffel Tower was sold twice for scrap metal by the swindler Victor Lusting.

The same thing was done thirty-five years later by the Englishman David Sams; the interesting fact is that he was able to documentably prove to a reputable Dutch company that the Parisian authorities had instructed him to do the dismantling. As a result, he was arrested and put in prison, but the money did not return to the company.

The height of the Eiffel Tower which is considered the most recognizable landmark located in Paris, is 300 meters. This is the tallest building not only in the city, but throughout France.

Story

The construction of the future symbol of the city was completed in 1889. Construction was timed to coincide with the opening of the World Exhibition, held that same year in the French capital.

1889 was the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. The leadership of the Third Republic decided to amaze the population and guests with a truly unusual structure. A competition was announced, which was won by the company of engineer Gustave Eiffel. This project proposed the construction of a huge 300-meter building in the city center. Leading roles in the development of the project were played by engineers Emile Nouguier and Maurice Koehlen. After the closing of the World Exhibition, the structure was supposed to be dismantled.

To many Parisians, the idea of ​​​​building a huge futuristic-looking structure in the very center of the city seemed unsuccessful. Writers opposed it: Alexandre Dumas the son, Emile Zola, Guy de Maupassant, composer Charles Gounod.

Expert opinion

Knyazeva Victoria

Guide to Paris and France

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The Eiffel Tower was a huge success with the public. Construction costs were recouped within a year.

Construction process

After 20 years, the building was to be dismantled. Technological progress intervened. By that time, radio had been invented, and a powerful transmitter and antenna were placed on top. In 1898, the first radio communication session was successfully carried out. It was mainly used for radio communications, then, already in the 20th century, for television.

Bercy: Parisian district

Eiffel Tower now

Visiting this attraction is open to everyone. In each of the leg-columns there are entrances for access inside. The cost of visiting depends on the level to which you plan to climb. The ticket price for the second tier is 11 euros, for the observation deck located at the very top - 17 euros. How long you have to wait in line depends on luck and the influx of tourists.

Three floors are available for visiting. You can move between them by elevator or on foot. There is usually a long queue for the elevator.

• The first tier is at an altitude of 57.64 meters. It is the largest in area, almost 4415 square meters. meters, 3000 people can be here at the same time.
• The second tier, which is at an altitude of 115.7 meters, is already much smaller. Area - 1430 sq. meters, it is possible to accommodate 1600 people.
• The third tier (height 276.1 meters) is the last. Its dimensions are 250 sq. meters and capacity up to 400 people. This is the highest point of the Eiffel Tower that you can climb to.
• Above is a lighthouse and a long spire with a flagpole.

Height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

Features of design and shape

Many people are interested in the question of what is the exact height of Eiffel’s creation. The tower itself rose to a height of 300.65 m. Subsequently, a spire-shaped antenna was installed on the top. This increased the size of the structure. The exact height increased to 324.82 meters.

Cemetery Père Lachaise

The Eiffel Tower has a very original and memorable look. However, there are few people in the whole world who are not familiar with it. Its shape can be described as a highly elongated pyramid. Four columns rise up and merge into one square-shaped structure. Material: puddling steel.

View from the Champ de Mars

The structure, built at the end of the last century, is highly reliable. The design, created by Gustave Eiffel, withstands even strong winds. The technologies used make it possible to compensate for the thermal expansion of the metal, due to the unevenness of which the top deviates by a maximum of 18 cm.

Backlight

It was decided to equip such a tall structure, which dominates the center of Paris, with spectacular lighting.

At first, acetylene lamps, two spotlights and a lighthouse on top, painted in the colors of the national flag - white, red and blue, were used for this. Since 1900, electric lamps began to be used for these purposes.

For 9 years, from 1925 to 1934, Citroen founder Andre Citroen placed special advertisements on the building. It was called "Eiffel Tower on Fire." A system of 125 thousand light bulbs was installed, which alternately lit up and formed the silhouettes of a flying comet, the year of construction, a shooting star, the current date and the word Citroen.

Since 1937, spotlights have been used for illumination, illuminating the building from below. In 2006, the tower was illuminated blue for the first time in honor of the 20th anniversary of the European Union. In 2008, during the period when France was appointed chairman of the Council of Europe, the tower had an unusual illumination - a blue background with gold stars, reminiscent of the banner of the European Union.