Together with TV antenna height of the Eiffel Tower- 320 m, Eiffel Tower weight- 7000 tons, and the entire structure consists of 15 thousand metal parts. The entire mass rests on a foundation extending to a depth of 7 m and on four colossal pylons secured by huge cement blocks.
The weight of the metal structure is 7,300 tons (total weight 10,100 tons). Today, three towers could be built from this metal at once. The foundation is made of concrete masses. The vibrations of the tower during storms do not exceed 15 cm.
The tower is divided into three levels:
- on the first floor, at an altitude of 57 m, there is a bar and a restaurant
- on the second, at an altitude of 115 m, there is another bar and restaurant
- the third is located at an altitude of 274 m
- the last level is 300 m high and contains television equipment and antennas.
You can take the elevator or walk (1,652 steps) to the top, which offers a magnificent view of the entire city.
Sasha Mitrakhovich 19.01.2016 12:21
Throughout its history, it has repeatedly changed its paint color - from yellow to red-brown. In recent decades, the Eiffel Tower has been invariably painted in the so-called “Eiffel brown” - an officially patented color close to the natural shade of bronze.
The Iron Lady resists the ravages of time thanks to 57 tons of paint, which must be renewed every 7 years.
Sasha Mitrakhovich 19.01.2016 12:24
Weight - 7,300 tons (total weight 10,100 tons). Today, three towers could be built from this metal at once. The foundation is made of concrete masses. The vibrations of the Eiffel Tower during storms do not exceed 15 cm.
The lower floor is a pyramid (129.2 m each side at the base), formed by 4 columns connected at a height of 57.63 m by an arched vault; on the vault is the first platform Eiffel Tower. The platform is a square (65 m across).
On this platform rises a second pyramid-tower, also formed by 4 columns connected by a vault, on which there is (at a height of 115.73 m) a second platform (a square 30 m in diameter).
Four columns rising on the second platform come closer together like a pyramid and, gradually intertwining, form a colossal pyramidal column (190 m), carrying a third platform (at a height of 276.13 m), also square in shape (16.5 m in diameter); there is a lighthouse with a dome on it, above which at an altitude of 300 m there is a platform (1.4 m in diameter).
On Eiffel Tower There are stairs (1792 steps) and elevators.
Restaurant halls were erected on the first platform; on the second platform there were tanks with machine oil for the hydraulic lifting machine (elevator) and a restaurant in a glass gallery. The third platform housed the astronomical and meteorological observatories and the physics room. The light of the lighthouse was visible at a distance of 10 km.
The erected tower was stunning with its bold design. Eiffel was severely criticized for the project and at the same time accused of trying to create something artistic and not artistic.
Together with his engineers - specialists in bridge construction, Eiffel was engaged in calculations of wind force, well aware that if they were building the tallest structure in the world, they must first of all make sure that it was resistant to wind loads.
The original agreement with Eiffel was for the tower to be dismantled 20 years after construction. As you might guess, it was never implemented, and moreover, the lease was extended for another 70 years. The story of the Eiffel Tower continues.
Sasha Mitrakhovich 19.01.2016 12:32
Under the first balcony, on all four sides of the parapet, the names of 72 outstanding French scientists and engineers, as well as those who made a special contribution to the creation of Gustav Eiffel, are engraved.
These inscriptions appeared at the beginning of the 20th century and were restored in 1986-1987 by the Société Nouvelle d’exploitation de la Tour Eiffel company, hired by the mayor’s office to operate the Eiffel Tower.
The tower itself is today the property of the city of Paris.
Sasha Mitrakhovich 19.01.2016 12:36
Sasha Mitrakhovich 19.01.2016 12:42
In total, four levels can be distinguished: lower (ground), 1st floor (57 meters), 2nd floor (115 meters) and 3rd floor (276 meters). Each of them is remarkable in its own way.
On the lower level there are ticket offices where you can purchase tickets for Eiffel Tower, an information stand where you can pick up useful brochures and booklets, as well as 4 souvenir shops - one in each column of the tower. In addition, in the southern column there is a post office, so you can send a postcard to your family and friends right from the foot of the famous building. Also, before starting to conquer the Eiffel Tower, you have the option of having a snack at the buffet located right there. From the lower level you can enter the offices where old hydraulic machines are installed, which in the past raised elevators to the top of the tower. They can only be admired as part of excursion groups.
The 1st floor, which can be reached on foot if desired, will delight tourists with another souvenir shop and the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant. However, in addition to this, there is a preserved fragment of a spiral staircase, which at one time led from the second floor to the third, and at the same time to Eiffel’s office. You can learn a lot about the tower by going to the Cineiffel center, where animation dedicated to the history of the structure is shown. Children will certainly be interested in meeting Gus, the hand-drawn mascot of the Eiffel Tower and the character of a special children's guide book. Also on the 1st floor you can admire posters, photographs, and all kinds of illustrations from different times dedicated to the “Iron Lady.”
On the 2nd floor, the first thing that attracts attention is the general panorama of Paris, opening from a 115-meter height. Here you can replenish your supplies of souvenirs, find out a lot of new things about the history of the tower at special stands, and at the same time order yourself a delicious lunch at the Jules Verne restaurant. The Eiffel Tower of restaurants, admiring the view of Paris - this is what many people dream of, so once you get to the top Do not deny yourself the pleasure of visiting a restaurant on the Eiffel Tower. In total, the tower houses two excellent restaurants, a bar and several buffets.
58 Tour Eiffel
Opened recently on the 1st level of the Eiffel Tower, the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant offers its visitors both light lunches and classic dinners, which can be enjoyed in a cozy and friendly atmosphere of the restaurant, looking at Paris from a 57-meter height. It's not a very fancy place, but it's a very nice place. You can book your two-course meal and lift ticket using the link below.
Le Jules Verne
The restaurant on the 2nd floor of the tower, named after the famous writer, is an excellent example of modern and refined French cuisine. A variety of delicacies and unique dishes combined with a designer interior and impeccable ambiance - all this turns an ordinary lunch at Jules Vernet into a real feast of taste.
Champagne Bar
The “Champagne Bar”, located at the top of the Eiffel Tower, and drinking a glass of sparkling drink there is a kind of logical conclusion to the ascent to the main one. You can choose pink or white champagne, which cost between 10-15 euros per glass.
Sasha Mitrakhovich 19.01.2016 14:22
Originally conceived as a temporary structure, the Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of France and an object of admiration. However, the history of the creation and construction of the impressive structure was dramatic. For many Parisians, the tower evoked only negative emotions - the townspeople believed that such a tall structure would not fit into the appearance of their beloved capital or would even collapse. But over time, the French came to appreciate the Eiffel Tower and fell in love with it. Today, thousands of people take pictures against the backdrop of the famous landmark; all lovers strive for it to spend unforgettable moments. Every girl who has a date at the Eiffel Tower hopes that it is there, taking all of Paris as a witness, that her beloved will propose marriage to her.
History of the Eiffel Tower
1886 In three years, the World Industrial Exhibition EXPO will begin in Paris. The exhibition organizers announced a competition for a temporary architectural structure that would serve as the entrance to the exhibition and personify the technical revolution of its time, the beginning of grandiose transformations in the life of mankind. The proposed construction had to meet the following requirements - generate income and be easily dismantled. More than 100 competitors took part in the creative competition, which started in May 1886. Some of the designs were quite bizarre - for example, a huge guillotine reminiscent of the revolution, or a tower built entirely of stone. Among the competition participants was engineer and designer Gustave Eiffel, who proposed a project for a 300-meter metal structure that was completely unusual for that time. He drew the very idea of the tower from the drawings of his company’s employees, Maurice Koechlen and Emile Nugier.
Construction of the Eiffel Tower, 1887-1889
It was proposed to make the structure from malleable cast iron, which at that time was the most progressive and economical building material. Eiffel's project was among the four winners. Thanks to some changes made by the engineer to the decorative design of the tower, the organizers of the competition gave preference to his “Iron Lady”.
The artistic appearance of the Eiffel Tower was developed by Stéphane Sauvestre. To add more sophistication to the cast-iron structure, the architect proposed adding arches between the supports of the first floor. They symbolized the entrance to the exhibition and made the structure more elegant. In addition, Sauvestre planned to place spacious glazed halls on various floors of the building, and slightly round the top of the tower.
The construction of the tower required 7.8 million francs, but the state allocated only one and a half million to Eiffel. The engineer agreed to contribute the missing amount from his own funds, but in return demanded that the tower be leased to him for 25 years. At the beginning of 1887, the French authorities, the mayor's office of Paris and Eiffel entered into an agreement and construction began.
Old photos of the Eiffel TowerAll 18,000 structural parts were manufactured at Gustave's own factory in Levallois, near the French capital. Thanks to carefully verified drawings, work on installing the tower progressed very quickly. The mass of individual elements of the structure did not exceed 3 tons, which greatly facilitated its assembly. At first, tall cranes were used to lift the parts. Then, when the tower became taller than them, Eiffel used small mobile cranes, specially designed by him, moving along elevator rails. After two years, two months and five days, with the efforts of three hundred workers, the construction of the structure was completed.
From 1925 to 1934, the Eiffel Tower was a giant advertising medium
The Eiffel Tower instantly attracted thousands of curious people - in the first six months of the exhibition alone, more than two million people came to admire the new landmark. The appearance of a new huge silhouette against the backdrop of Paris caused fierce controversy in French society. Many representatives of the creative intelligentsia were categorically against the appearance of a tower equal in height to an 80-story building - they feared that the iron structure would destroy the style of the city and suppress its architecture. Critics of Eiffel’s creation called the tower “the tallest lamppost”, “a grill in the form of a bell tower”, “an iron monster” and other unflattering and sometimes offensive epithets.
But, despite the protests and dissatisfaction of a certain part of French citizens, the Eiffel Tower almost completely paid for itself in the first year of operation, and further operation of the structure brought solid dividends to its creator.
Hitler with the Eiffel Tower in the backgroundBy the end of the lease period, it became clear that dismantling the tower could be avoided - by that time it was actively used for telephone and telegraph communications, as well as for placing radio stations. Gustave was able to convince the government and generals of the country that in the event of war, the Eiffel Tower would be indispensable as a radio signal transmitter. At the beginning of 1910, the lease of the tower by its creator was extended for 70 years. During the German occupation in 1940, French patriots broke all the lifting mechanisms to cut off Hitler's path to the top of the tower. Due to non-functioning elevators, the aggressors were unable to plant their flag on the iron Frenchwoman. The Germans even called their specialists from Germany to repair the elevators, but they were unable to get them working.
Gustave EiffelWith the development of television, the Eiffel Tower becomes in demand as a place to place antennas, of which there are currently several dozen on it.
The designer, who initially used his structure for profit, subsequently transferred the rights to it to the state, and today the tower is the property of the French people.
Eiffel could not imagine that his creation would become a tourist magnet along with other “wonders of the world.” The engineer simply called it a “300-meter tower,” not expecting that it would glorify and perpetuate his name. Today, the openwork metal structure towering over the French capital is recognized as the most photographed and visited landmark in the world.
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Nowadays no one can imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower, and most Parisians, if they didn’t fall in love with it, at least managed to come to terms with it. But this was not always the case - after its construction, it caused strong dissatisfaction among many townspeople, who found it extremely awkward. Hugo and Maupassant, for example, repeatedly insisted that the tower should be removed from the streets of Paris.
Initially, the structure was planned to be dismantled in 1909, 20 years after its construction - but after stunning commercial success, the tower received “eternal registration.”
However, most tourists always admire the Eiffel Tower. Even after 120 years, it remains the tallest building in Paris and the fifth tallest in all of France. Despite its majestic dimensions, its total weight does not exceed 10 thousand tons, it exerts pressure behind the ground equal to the pressure of a person sitting on a chair, and if all the metal of the tower is melted into a single block, it will occupy an area of 25 by 5 m and will be only 6 cm in height! However, in our time, the construction of a similar structure would require three times less metal - technology does not stand still.
France will be the only country to have a 300-meter flagpole!
Gustave Eiffel
The most patriotic Parisian
During the German occupation, Hitler visited Paris and wanted to climb the Eiffel Tower. However, the Fuhrer’s wish did not come true: the elevator broke down just in time, and Hitler left with nothing. After such an embarrassment, the Germans spent 4 years trying to repair the ill-fated lift. In vain - the German craftsmen could not figure out the mechanism, and the French just shrugged their shoulders - there are no spare parts! However, in 1944, literally a few hours after the liberation of Paris, the elevator miraculously started working and has been working without interruption to this day.
"Eiffel Brown"
It is curious that the Eiffel Tower is probably the only building in the world that has its own patented color - Eiffel Brown, which gives the tower a bronze tint. Before that, she changed several colors - she was yellow, red-brown, and ocher. Recently, the tower has been repainted every 7 years, and in total this procedure was carried out 19 times. Each painting requires about 60 tons of paint (as well as about 1.5 thousand brushes and 2 hectares of protective mesh), so over time the tower still continues to gain weight. And not only in weight - due to new antennas, its height is gradually increasing: today it is 324 m, and this is far from the limit.
In fact, the Eiffel Tower is not at all monochromatic, as it might seem at first. It is painted in three different shades of bronze - from the darkest on the first level to the lighter on the third. This is done so that the tower looks more harmonious against the sky.
Everyone can buy a piece of the Eiffel Tower, and we are not talking about souvenirs with its image, but about the original itself - since the time of Gustave Eiffel, the “Iron Lady” has belonged to a private company, and its shares are traded on the stock exchange.
8 Paris attractions you can visit for free:
In the distant times of the great Paris Exhibition - and this was in 1889 - the leadership of Paris, namely the city administration, asked the great architect and engineer, Gustave Eiffel, to create something grandiose that would serve as a gateway to the Parisian World Exhibition. The exhibition was dedicated to the centenary of the great French Revolution of 1789, so I wanted to see something poignant and majestic in one architectural monument.
At first, having received the task, the engineer was confused and was about to refuse, but then, by a happy accident, he discovered in his notes a project for a 300-meter tower, which, in his opinion, could impress the city administration. Eiffel was not mistaken and soon received a patent for the construction of this project, and then retained the exclusive right to it. Thus, the tower, erected as the entrance to the Parisian World Exhibition, began to be called the Eiffel Tower in honor of its builder. According to the agreement concluded between Eiffel and the city administration, the dismantling of the tower was to occur 20 years after the opening of the exhibition. The cost of building the tower at that time amounted to 8 million francs, which was equivalent to building a small town. The fame of the 300-meter iron tower with majestic beams spread throughout the world.
A huge flow of tourists came from all countries from all corners of the world, wanting to see this wonder of the world with their own eyes. Thanks to this, the costs of the tower were returned to investors within a year and a half. It is not difficult to imagine how much income the Eiffel Tower began to generate. After the expiration of the period, when the contract made it necessary to dismantle the structure, it was a common decision of the authorities and builders to leave the tower. The main factor that influenced this decision was the huge income that the Eiffel Tower brought in. Another important factor was that the tower contained a large number of radio antennas. The height of the structure, coupled with the number of radio antennas on it, made France a leader in the field of radio broadcasting and significantly influenced its development.
Even today in Paris - there, where is the Eiffel Tower, there is no building higher and more majestic than this wonder of the world. Already from a height of 150 meters, a full view of the city opens up, the panorama of which sinks so deeply into the heart that it becomes impossible not to fall in love with Paris. At the moment of contemplating the city from such a height, you are completely immersed in its atmosphere and feel all its subtleties within yourself. The Seine River, the Champs Elysees, great cathedrals and temples, parks, streets, alleys, avenues - all this passes through you and leaves an indelible mark on your soul. How many great artistic creations have been dedicated to the Eiffel Tower? The greatest poets and artists described the majesty and uniqueness of this place in their works. Such works made a significant contribution to the heritage of world culture.
Today the Eiffel Tower is the most important symbol of Paris. If you ask any person, no matter what country " where is the Eiffel Tower? In 90 cases out of 100, he will immediately answer “Paris!”
Flying over Paris, anyone will try to find this majestic tower, a symbol of Paris and all of France.
As you may have already noticed, the history of the tower is very rich. It would seem nothing surprising - any wonder of the world always attracts a lot of attention. However, the historical activities associated with the Eiffel Tower have more to do with its height. A funny incident happened back in 1912, when an Austrian tailor created his own parachute, with a “special” design. Having climbed to the very top, the Austrian decided to conquer the world with his amazing act, but the parachute did not open and the tailor fell to his death, which is not surprising - after all, the height of the tower is 324 meters. After this incident, parachute jumps from the Eiffel Tower were no longer observed, but, unfortunately, a series of suicides began on it. Even to this day, many suicide victims from all over the world choose this tower as their last point. The last official date of suicide is considered to be June 25, 2012.
In 2002, the number of visitors to the tower per year was more than 200 million, which is equivalent to 550,000 people per day. If you imagine that the entrance to the tower was about 2 euros per person, it is not difficult to calculate what annual income the tower brings from a visitor who just enters. And if you calculate how much money the average tourist leaves in bars, restaurants, shops, then the figure will increase on average by 3 times.
In the winter of 2004-2005, an ice skating rink was poured onto the first floor of the tower to attract and host the 2012 Winter Olympics in Paris. After this, the tradition of filling the first floor with ice became an annual tradition.
It is also surprising that the French turned out to be quite an enterprising people, and during the entire existence of the Eiffel Tower it was sold at least two dozen times. Particularly noteworthy is a certain Victor Lustig, who twice (!) managed to sell the tower as scrap metal.
Still, answering the question: “Where is the Eiffel Tower?” one has to remember the Champs de Mars, opposite the Jena Bridge. In the Paris metro the station is called Bir-Hakeim.
The Eiffel Tower has been part of the urban landscape of Paris for a hundred years and has become its symbol. But it is also not only the heritage of all of France, but also a monument to the great technical achievements of the late 19th century.
Who built the Eiffel Tower?
Since the second half of the 19th century, progress has led many countries around the world to build high-rise structures. Many of the projects suffered defeats even at the conception stage, but there were also those engineers who firmly believed in the success of their plans. Gustave Eiffel was one of the latter.
Gustave Eiffel
For the centenary of the Industrial Revolution in 1886, Paris opens a competition to create new outstanding achievements of our time. According to its concept, this event was to become one of the most outstanding events of its time. In the course of this idea, the Palace of Machines made of metal and glass, destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century, and the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, 1000 feet high, were born.
Work on the Eiffel Tower project began back in 1884. By the way, Eiffel was not new to his business; before that, he brilliantly managed to find solutions in the field of construction of railway bridges. For the design competition, he provided about 5,000 sheets of drawings of the tower parts in the original scale. The project was approved, but this was only the beginning of hard work. There were still 3 years left before Eiffel would forever immortalize his name in history.
Construction of the Eiffel Tower
Many famous residents did not accept the construction of a tower in the middle of the city. Writers, artists, sculptors, and architects protested against this construction, which, in their opinion, violated the original beauty of Paris.
But, nevertheless, the work continued. A huge 5-meter pit was dug into which four 10-meter blocks were installed under each leg of the tower. Additionally, each of the 16 tower supports was equipped with hydraulic jacks to obtain an ideal horizontal level. Without this plan, the construction of the tower could have dragged on forever.
July 1888
250 workers were able to erect the tallest tower of its time in the world in just 26 months. Here it is only worth envying Eiffel’s capabilities in the field of accurate calculations and organization of work. The height of the Eiffel Tower is 320 meters, the total weight is about 7500 tons.
The tower is divided into three tiers - 60 meters, 140 meters and 275 meters. Four elevators inside the tower's legs take visitors up to the second. The fifth elevator goes to the third level. There is a restaurant on the first floor, a newspaper office on the second, and Eiffel's office on the third.
Despite early criticism, the tower blended seamlessly with the city's views and quickly became a symbol of Paris. During the exhibition alone, about two million people visited here, some of whom immediately climbed to the very top on foot.
With the end of the exhibition, it was decided to demolish the tower. New technologies - radio - became her salvation. Antennas were quickly installed on the tallest structure. In subsequent years, television and radar antennas were installed on it. There is also a weather station and broadcasting of city services.
Until the construction of the Empire State Building in 1931, the tower remained the tallest structure in the world. It is difficult to imagine the city of Paris without this glorious image.