What do you know about the eiffel tower it on the banks

Eiffel Tower – tickets, prices, discounts, guided tours, Summit access

Eiffel Tower in Paris welcomes more than 7 million visitors every year, making it the most-visited paid monument in the world.

There is no way you can holiday in Paris and not visit this 324 meters (1063 feet) tall structure made of 18,000 iron parts and held together by 2.5 million rivets.

This article shares everything you must know before buying Eiffel Tower tickets.

Table of contents

Eiffel Tower hours

During the peak season of mid-June to the end of August, Eiffel Tower opens at 9 am and closes at 0.45 am the next day.

The rest of the year, the Parisian attraction welcomes visitors from 9.30 am to 11.45 pm.

During the peak season, tourists can’t go up to the Summit (the topmost floor) after 11 pm and during the lean season after 10.30 pm.

The last entry is 45 minutes before the day’s closure.

How to reach Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower is in the center of Paris, on the banks of the River Seine.

It is on the Champs de Mars, a sizeable public greenspace in Paris, at 5 Avenue Anatole France in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.

In Paris, Subway and RER lines are considered the ideal transport options to avoid traffic jams and save time.

Bir Hakeim station, served by Line 6, is just 400 meters from Eiffel Tower.

Ecole Militaire served by Line 8 and Trocadéro served by Line 9 are also close by – around 1 km (two-thirds of a mile).

If you take the RER C, Line 4, you must get down at Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel, which is just five minutes walk from the monument.

Depending on where you are starting, you can also board bus routes 82, 42, 69, 87, and 72 to get to the Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower floors

Eiffel Tower has three floors.

You can reach the first floor only by stairs.

Visitors can reach the second floor of the Eiffel Tower both by stairs and the lift.

From the second floor, visitors must take an elevator to get to Eiffel Tower’s topmost floor, also known as Summit.

Eiffel Tower map

Once you reach Eiffel Tower, getting in and around can be confusing for some visitors.

However, you can follow our recommendation for a smooth visit and exit.

Getting inside The Esplanade

Esplanade is the area under the Eiffel Tower.

There are two entrances to reach Eiffel Tower’s Esplanade – the South entrance and the East entrance.

We recommend you enter through the East entrance because it is usually less crowded.

After a brief security check, you can walk past the landscaped gardens to reach the Esplanade.

Visitors opting for elevators

If you plan to go up the Eiffel Tower in an elevator, you must head to the EAST or WEST pillars of the Tower.

If you aren’t sure, ask anybody, and they can guide you.

If you have already bought your tickets online, look for a queue with a Green flag for direct entry.

You will find Green marked queues under both the pillars.

If you haven’t yet booked your tickets, you must join the queue for the Eiffel Tower’s ticket office.

This queue will have a yellow flag and is most likely to be long.

Tip: To avoid wasting a lot of your time in ticket counter queues, purchase your Eiffel Tower tickets online.

Ticket offices are available on both the East and West pillars of the Tower.

Visitors opting for stairs

If you plan to climb the stairs to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, you must head towards the South pillar and look for a Blue flag.

Stand in the queue marked by a Blue flag if you have to buy tickets for the stairs up to the second floor or stairs plus lift tickets to the Summit.

Your path within Eiffel Tower

All visitors start with the second floor.

However, the path you will follow depends on the Eiffel Tower ticket you have in your hand.

Second floor tickets

If you have the 2nd-floor tickets, you first take the lift or stairs to the second floor.

After taking in the Parisian views, you climb down to the first floor to see numerous exhibits, including the glass floor.

You then, get down to the Esplanade and exit the Eiffel Tower.

Summit tickets

If you have the Summit tickets, after visiting the second floor, you take a lift to the top.

Once you have explored the Summit, you come down to the first floor to see the exhibits and finally get off the Tower.

Stairs tickets

If you have the stairs tickets, your path will be linear.

You will first climb to the first floor and then to the second floor.

Once you have enjoyed the fantastic views from the second floor, you will climb up to the third floor (the Summit).

Finally, you will climb down all the floors, with an option to re-visit the first and the second floors on your way down.

Best time to visit Eiffel Tower

The best time to visit Eiffel Tower if you want to avoid the crowd is as soon as they open at 9.30 am or after sunset.

For fascinating views of the Paris skyline, the best time to visit is an hour before sunset.

Sunset times in Paris vary from 5.30 pm to 10 pm, so we recommend you check the sunset timings before you plan.

If you go up the Eiffel tower 60 minutes before sunset, you can see the sun go down and then hang around to see the city shimmering at night.

Eiffel Tower sunset is one of the most romantic things to do in Paris.

Best photos of the Eiffel Tower: If you want a classic full-length shot of the Eiffel tower, you must visit Place du Trocadero. It is right across the River Seine, about 1 Km away from Eiffel Tower.

Where to buy Eiffel Tower tickets

The Eiffel Tower tickets can either be bought online or from the ticketing counter in Eiffel Tower.

We strongly recommend that you buy the Eiffel Tower tickets online because online tickets have several advantages over the physical tickets purchased from the venue.

1. Online tickets are cheaper because you don’t pay ‘ticketing window surcharge’

2. You save your time by skipping the long lines at the Eiffel Tower ticket counter (see images below)

3. If you buy an online ticket in advance, you get in shorter lines for the security check at the Eiffel Tower

While Eiffel Tower is worth all the wait, if you can avoid standing out in the sun for 1-2 hours, why not? Image: Discoverwalks.com

Surprisingly, so many tourists don’t know that they could have avoided this long wait at the ticketing counter by booking their Eiffel Tower tickets online. Image: Pdxcyclst.wordpress.com

This is why we always recommend tourists to buy Eiffel Tower tickets, online.

Eiffel Tower ticket price

The cost of your Eiffel Tower ticket depends on many factors –

1. The Eiffel Tower floor you plan to visit
2. How you plan to go up – the stairs or the lift
3. Guided tour or self-guided tour
4. Age of the visitor
5. Are you buying your tickets online or at the venue (online tickets are cheaper)

Visitors 25 years and above pay the full price. Eiffel Tower tickets start at €10.50 for a stair climb and go up to €26.10 for the summit visit by lift.

The Youth ticket rates apply to tourists 12 to 24 years of age. The price of this ticket is mostly 50% of the adult ticket price.

The Child ticket price is applicable to all visitors in the age group of 4 to 11 years. The cost of this ticket is mostly 25% of the adult ticket price.

Kids below the age of 4 years walk in free.

Eiffel Tower tickets

If you want to go up only till the 2nd floor of Eiffel Tower, you can choose from the three recommended tickets below.

If you want to go up to the topmost floor, skip to the Eiffel Tower summit section.

1. Eiffel Tower Priority Access tickets

This ticket has two massive advantages, which help you save a lot of time.

– A company rep greets you at Eiffel Tower and guides you to the Priority entrance

– At the Priority Entrance, you show your ticket on your mobile and walk-in without waiting.

With this ticket, you can take an elevator up to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower.

Ticket price (3+ years): 44 Euros

2. Eiffel Tower Climb tickets

This Eiffel Tower ticket is perfect for those who are fit enough to climb 700+ steps of the Tower and want to save on some money.

With this ticket, you get to avoid the long elevator lines at the Eiffel Tower and climb the stairs to the 2nd level.

Once you arrive at the first level of the Eiffel Tower, you can take in the views and relax a bit before starting the climb to Level 2.

Ticket price

Adult ticket (12+ years): 39 Euros
Child ticket (4 to 11 years): 35 Euros

If you would prefer a live tour guide to accompany you when you go up, check out this guided Eiffel Tower climb

Funny but true: Do you know about the time when a kiss on the Eiffel Tower resulted in a massive manhunt?

Eiffel Tower Summit

The third floor or the topmost floor of the Eiffel Tower is usually referred to as Eiffel Tower Summit.

It is the highest floor of the Eiffel Tower and is accessible to all tourists who have an Eiffel Tower Summit ticket.

Eiffel Tower Summit or 2nd floor?

The second floor offers more beautiful and better views than the top floor, as it’s a little bit harder to see the city’s beautiful landmarks from the top floor or the Summit.

And many times, just because of its height, it becomes cloudier and hazier at the top, and the viewers might not see the city clearly.

Is it worth going up Eiffel Tower Summit

We feel if you are visiting Eiffel Tower, you must also visit the Eiffel Tower Summit.

Though it costs extra to visit the top, Eiffel Tower Summit is worth it.

To see Gustav Eiffel’s office on top of the Eiffel Tower is once in a lifetime opportunity.

Eiffel Tower Summit tickets

Only an elevator can take you up the Eiffel Tower Summit. There is no option to climb the stairs.

The lift for the top floor must be taken from the second floor as there is no single elevator that works from the ground directly to the top of the tower.

For visiting the Summit, you must buy your tickets from the ground floor or purchase them online in advance.

Some visitors prefer to go up to the second floor, and then decide if they want to visit the Tower’s Summit.

For such visitors, a limited number of Eiffel Tower Summit tickets are sold on the second floor. However, there is no guarantee that you will get one on the day of your visit.

That’s why it is better to buy Eiffel Tower Summit tickets in advance.

Skip The Line Summit ticket

You start this 2 hours’ tour by skip the long lines to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.

This ticket allows you to take an elevator till the second floor. However, you can take the stairs if you want to.

A local guide will hand-hold till the 2-floor, regaling you with interesting stories about the world-famous monument.

Ticket price

Adult ticket (12+ years): 69 Euros
Child ticket (4-11 years): 65 Euros

On the ticket booking page you must choose the option “Summit-Level Access.”

If you are an early bird, check out this tour of Eiffel Tower Summit, which starts at 8.45 am.

Eiffel Tower at night

At night, Eiffel Tower is the main attraction of the ‘City of Lights.’

The Eiffel Tower looks mesmerizing during the night and the night view from the Tower is even better.

Once you are on top, you get to see the other Parisian landmarks all lit up – Notre Dame Cathedral, Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, etc.

Eiffel Tower lights

The Eiffel Tower sparkles every night – for five minutes every hour.

The sparkling starts at dusk when the city lights up and usually ends at 1 am in the night.

However, on special nights such as Christmas, etc., it ends at 2 am.

During the sparkling, the tower is covered with golden lights and the sparkling is powered by 20000 light bulbs.

Eiffel Tower at day or night?

If you want to see the panoramic view and want to take pictures with Paris in the backdrop, you must schedule your visit during the day.

But if you want to experience the sunset and light shows, you must visit the Eiffel Tower at night.

Having said that, it isn’t easy to choose between Eiffel Tower during the day and Eiffel Tower at night.

If you are in Paris for more than five days, we suggest you make two visits – one during the day and another one at night.

Eiffel Tower night tour tickets

To make your night out at Eiffel Tower even more memorable, we recommend the following night tours.

This Skip-the-Line guided tour helps you skip long lines for accessing Gustave Eiffel Tower.

During this 90 minutes tour, you will see the light shows at Eiffel Tower from the 2nd floor.

Ticket Price

Adult ticket (15+ years): 45 Euros
Child ticket (4-14 years): 40 Euros
Infant ticket (0-3 years): Free entry

Are you planning to visit Eiffel Tower at night? Follow the link to know in detail about lights show, sparkling, climbing the Tower, tickets, image rights, etc.

Last minute Eiffel Tower tickets

If you decide to visit the Parisian attraction on a whim, it is possible to buy the Eiffel Tower tickets at the last minute.

You have two options –

1. Reach Eiffel Tower early and line up at the ticketing queue

2. Buy your tickets online up to 3 hours before your visit

*A limited number of same-day Eiffel Tower tickets are sold daily, so you may want to hurry. Jump to the tickets section

Crazy but true: Sid Frisjes is known as the Eiffel Tower finger guy for trying to ‘touch’ Eiffel Tower.

What to see at Eiffel Tower

The video below gives a detailed view of what to expect at the Eiffel Tower.

If you are in a hurry, skip the first minute, which is mostly author introduction.

Eiffel Tower has four levels – The Esplanade, first floor, second floor and The Summit.

In this section, we list out all the must-see exhibits at Eiffel Tower.

The Esplanade

The Esplanade is the large area below the Eiffel Tower.

Four pillars (East, South, North, and West) hold the puddled iron structure and help it reach 324 meters (1062 feet) above the ground.

The four legs of the Eiffel Tower house the lifts and stairways to go up.

1. Bust of Gustave Eiffel

This statue of Gustave Eiffel stands at the foot of the Tower, in the corner of the North pillar.

Antoine Bourdelle sculpted this bust, and it has been an attraction since 1929.

2. Eiffel Tower elevators

The elevators in the East and West Pillar of the Eiffel Tower use hydraulic machines more than a century old.

You may not see the hydraulic machines because they are in the basement, but you can see the lifts.

Gustave Eiffel designed these imposing hydraulic machines himself.

*The Esplanade is also home to the information desk (at the West pillar).

First floor, Eiffel Tower

There are lots of exhibits to see on the first floor.

1. The immersion show

The Immersion show takes you on a journey into the World of the Eiffel Tower.

The show, which happens in Ferrié Pavilion, is projected on three walls by seven projectors.

2. The New Cultural Path

This path is along the outer passageway.

Ths exhibit narrates the history of the Eiffel Tower using mediums such as screens, touch screens, displays, digital albums, reproductions of items, etc.

You will be surprised at how little you know about the Eiffel Tower.

3. The Glass floor

Don’t miss the transparent walkway on the first floor, which has become a massive hit with visitors.

The glass floor offers dramatic views from above 57-meter (187 feet).

4. Spiral Staircase

Gustave Eiffel had a small office at the top of Eiffel Tower.

And before he built an elevator from the second floor to the third floor, he used a spiral staircase to reach his office.

However, in 1983 this spiral staircase was removed, and a part of it displayed on the first floor.

*The 1st floor also houses the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant and the souvenir shop.

Second floor, Eiffel Tower

There is no exhibit on the 2nd floor.

However, you can enjoy unobstructed views of Paris city, including views of monuments such as The Louvre, Notre Dane, Grand Palais, Montmartre, Invalides, the Seine River, etc.

*Jules Verne, the Michelin-starred restaurant, is also on this floor.

The Summit, Eiffel Tower

The Summit of Eiffel Tower is made up of two levels – one indoors and the other outside.

1. Gustave Eiffel’s office

Gustave Eiffel’s office at the top of the Eiffel Tower is maintained as it was during its heydays.

His office depicts Gustav and his daughter Claire welcoming American inventor Thomas Edison with life-like wax models.

During their meeting, Edison had gifted Gustave Eiffel a Gramaphone, which is also available in the office.

2. The panoramic maps

At the Summit, you can find panoramic maps at various places.

These maps help identify other tall monuments in different cities and give their relative direction and distance from the Eiffel Tower.

You also get to compare the height of the tall monuments/buildings with that of Eiffel Tower.

3. Model of the Top floor

One of the must-see exhibits on the Eiffel Tower Summit is the model of the top of the Tower from 1889.

This model is at 1:50 scale and is in the Tower’s original reddish-brown color.

*The Tower’s Summit also has a champagne bar which serves rose and white champagne.

View from Eiffel Tower

View from the top of Eiffel Tower is to die for. It is both romantic and thrilling.

No wonder more than 250 Million visitors have climbed Eiffel Tower in its 125-years history.

Check out some of the best views from Eiffel Tower observation decks –

The Eiffel Tower

Known the world over, reproduced on everything from canvases to fridge magnets and arguably Paris’ greatest icon: of course, it’s the Eiffel Tower. She may not be home to the President, but she could certainly be considered France’s First Lady.

This emblematic structure of the French capital is nestled in the cosy green carpet of the Champ de Mars opposite the Trocadéro Gardens, on the banks of the River Seine. Before you book your tickets, here are a few facts, a bit of history, the latest improvements, and what you can see and do at the tower.

How tall is the Eiffel Tower?

Standing at 300 metres tall, the structure affords those intrepid enough to climb the 1,665 steps – as well as those who prefer the lift – awe-inspiring 360⁰ views across Paris’ cityscape. The tower was described by poet Jean Cocteau as “the beautiful lace giraffe” and is arranged over three accessible floors.

Are there shops and restaurants at the Eiffel Tower?

Absolutely – the tower boasts restaurants, shops and a top-floor champagne bar. Head up the first flight of stairs (or up to the first floor in the lift) and you’ll come to the widest of the tower’s levels. Home to the 58 Restaurant, gift shops and an exhibition tracing the tower’s history and development over the years, the first floor also boasts an impressive glass floor that covers the open section of the structure. Standing here is not for the faint-hearted!

If you’re feeling romantic, the Jules Verne restaurant on the second floor offers spectacular views of the city from the comfort of a chic, modern French establishment. It also has a Michelin star, having started life under chef Alain Ducasse and having now newly reopened under Frédéric Anton and Thierry Marx. Named after the intrepid author of Around The World in 80 Days, this is the spot for an evening you’ll never forget – 125 metres up.

The tower’s final stop is the third floor, at 276 metres, where you can sip champagne while admiring the view across Paris. Come up here at night, and you’ll and witness the city – and the tower itself – beautifully illuminated. And for five minutes on the hour every hour, the tower puts on a spectacular sparkle display, adding a touch of extra magic!

What’s the history of the Eiffel Tower?

Built in 1889, it’s amazing to think that this French emblem almost never came into existence. Gustave Eiffel’s project to build the “Iron Lady” for the Universal Exhibition in Paris was met with fierce opposition. Naysayers deemed the tower “useless” and “monstrous”, but the engineer dismissed his critics, stating that his tower symbolised “not only the art of the modern engineer, but also the century of Industry and Science in which we are living”. It took two years, two months, and five days for Eiffel and his team to deliver this iconic symbol of France’s contribution to modern society.

How has the Eiffel Tower been preserved?

Despite being almost 200 years old, the world’s most visited paid-for monument hasn’t aged much. Between 1985 and 1990, it underwent various makeovers which added four new lifts – one for each pillar – and saw 1,343 tons of weight shed from the iron structure. After two years of renovation and a €30 million investment, the first floor fully reopened with its impressive non-slip glass floor in 2014, adding a new angle from which to view the tower and its Paris surroundings.

12 Facts You Didn’t Know About the Eiffel Tower

Why Eiffel Tower is famous?

The most visited site in Paris, Eiffel Tower, is famous because it was controversial at the time it was built – critics and audience had strong opinions towards its “crazy design” according to the standards of their time. It was built as a contemporary exhibition, but the Paris officials decided to keep it. It was also the tallest structure in the world for a period of time.

What is Special About Eiffel Tower?

1. Symbol of Celebration

What Is The Story Behind The Eiffel Tower?

This was built in 1889 to celebrate the French Revolution’s centennial. Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel climbed 1710 steps to the top of the tower and unfurled the French flag.

2. Gustave Eiffel didn’t design the Eiffel Tower

His company’s senior engineers – Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier designed the Iron Lady. Gustave Eiffel, however, put in the investment and bought the right to the patent.

3. Shades of Brown

Public Domain. ImageMarch 15 1889

The tower is painted in three different shades of brown – darkest on top and light on the bottom. This is done to correct the haze created by the atmosphere. When you do look up, the structure appears to be of a uniform color from top to bottom.
Earlier, the tower has been painted red and yellow hues as well.

In case you were wondering, it requires 60 tonnes of paint to coat the entire tower, and is repainted every seven years.

4. It grows!

The Eiffel gains 7 inches under the sun but shrinks back in the cold.

5. Temporary Structure Turned Permanent

Constructed for the Paris Exposition in 1889, it was meant to be the grand entrance and not a permanent feature of the Paris skyline. It was supposed to stand for 20 years and then dismantled in 1909. However, it provided a great radio antenna and that prevented it from being dismantled.

It was used to intercept enemy communication during World War and helped capture and execute Mata Hari.

6. Daredevil Stunts

Public Domain. ImageJuly 18 1887

It has been attracting reckless and adventurous human beings to do stunts. In 1912, Franz Reichelt, in an attempt to demonstrate a wearable parachute, jumped to his death. In 1926, Leon Collot crashed while trying to fly a plane beneath the first-floor arch.

7. Secret Apartment

The Eiffel Tower has a secret apartment where Gustave Eiffel played host to guests like Edison.

8. Staircase to Jewelry

Public Domain. ImageDecember 26 1888

In 1983, a metal staircase was taken out of the tower for security and safety reasons. This was cut into 20 pieces and auctioned off. One couple bought a piece and made jewelry out of it.

9. A Hitler Connection

When Hitler was about to lose Paris to the Allied, in 1944, he ordered the city to be demolished, including the Eiffel.

10. Illegality of Photographs: ‘Eiffel Tower at Night’

You could be fined for taking a photo of the tower at night and sharing it. The Illumination Show – in which the Tower lights up at night is “art” according to the French government and therefore, copyrighted.

In case you were wondering, it takes 20,000 light bulbs to make Paris’ landmark sparkle. The bulbs are switched on for five minutes, every hour on the hour.

11. Swaying in the Wind

The tower sways 6-7m in the wind. Anyone who has scaled the top of the tower can feel the movement.

12. The distance of Lifts

It lifts travel, combined, a distance of 103,000 km every year – 2.5 times the circumference of the Earth.

19 things you never knew about the Eiffel Tower

Email Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting.

Snapchat Fliboard icon A stylized letter F.

Flipboard Pinterest icon The letter «P» styled to look like a thumbtack pin.

Pinterest Link icon An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url.

The INSIDER Summary:

It’s impossible to think of Paris without picturing the Eiffel Tower.

The world-famous attraction turns 128 years old on March 31, marking the date it was completed for the 1889 Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) to honor the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.

The tower continues to make an impression today, drawing nearly seven million visitors from all over the world each year.

In honor of the Eiffel Tower’s upcoming birthday, here are some fascinating facts about the iconic iron structure.

The Eiffel Tower wasn’t the brainchild of Gustave Eiffel.

The structure may be named after Gustave Eiffel, but it was actually his senior engineers, Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, who designed the building. Eiffel wasn’t overly interested in the project, but sent the engineers to the head of his company’s architectural department, Stephen Sauvestre. With Sauvestre’s edits, Eiffel got behind the final plans and bought the rights to the patent.

It’s made of 18,038 pieces of wrought iron.

The pieces of iron are connected by 2.5 million rivets. They were put in place by between 150 and 300 workers who were employed to build the structure.

The Eiffel Tower

On the banks of the Seine, in Paris, stands the Eiffel Tower, a magnificent iron structure that illuminates Paris and, more generally, France. If only one French architectural element were to represent this country, it would undoubtedly be, well before other monuments yet equally prestigious, but less emblematic: The Louvre, the Pont du Gard, the Gothic cathedrals or the Loire castles. Even famous sites such as the Arc de Triomphe do not manage to symbolize France as the Eiffel Tower does, it means its importance for the international fame of this country.

The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower, symbol of France in the world

This enormous and majestic structure is 324 meters high and consists of 18,000 pieces of puddled iron. It was manufactured by Gustave Eiffel, engineer and famous entrepreneur who designed this building on the occasion of the celebrations for the centenary of the French Revolution and the Universal Exhibition of Paris which was held in 1889. Initially, to be the proof of the excellence of the French industrial know-how and had to be of a temporary nature, of only 20 years. Saved by broadcasting, it is today a symbol of French identity and a global tourist attraction.

Discover

Description

Construction

History

Tourism

Science

Organise the visit

Visiting the Eiffel Tower is simple! Perfectly accessible from all types of Parisian transport, open during a wide time slot, you can take as much time as you like, there is no limited time for its visit, nor of imposed circuit.

The symbol of France

The Eiffel Tower sprang up for the centenary of the capture of the Bastille in 1889, on the side of the fields of Mars bordering the Seine, on the very spot where the 14th of July 1790 had been celebrated one of the highlights of the French Revolution: The feast of the Federation, in which three hundred thousand French people, gathered around King Louis XVI, had sworn an oath to the Constitution and proclaimed their desire to live together, free, equal and fraternal.

The idea of th​ tower was put to the competition and it was then that the French soon forgot that they had begun to celebrate their union in order to indulge in one of their manias: the polemic. One hundred and seven projects were examined. The most innovative used only iron, a material known up to now commoner. Charles Garnier, the architect of the Opera, found no words hard enough to stigmatize the colossal lighthouse, the then president of the Council proclaimed: «These eccentricities are not in the taste of the French.» candidate ousted outbid: «It’s from the railway station to the meter».

The project of Eiffel and Sauvestre prevailed. All the glory remains to Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923) engineer, who had already been illustrated by the construction of the viaduct of Garabit. We have forgotten the name of Companion, who was then famous for having been the chief of the building site on which rests the good progress of this perilous project.

To meet the specifications the tower of 1889 was 300.01 meters above ground level. Nowadays, since the construction of the television antenna added in 1957, it is from the top of its 318 meters that it contemplates Paris.

Conceded for twenty years it had to be demolished, at the end of the contract. It was the war of 1914 that saved her: she was mobilized in the service of military transmissions, then, in 1922, radio. The «coquette» of the men of 1889 had to set to work to survive.

Reprinted from «Paris, fête et lumière», edition «Images et magie»

Introduction

With a size of 312m at its construction, the Eiffel Tower was for more than 30 years the highest building in the world, until the construction of the Empire State Building in New York. Today it measures 324m (thanks to antennas that have been added since) and it is the most beautiful symbol of Paris, but also of France. It has three floors, plus one abandoned for a long time, it belongs to the city of Paris which has given the concession to SETE, which ensures its daily operation. The figures are impressive: 10,100 tons, of which 7300 are of metal architecture made of 18,000 pieces, it has a staircase of 1710 steps to go up to the summit, although it is not usable on a daily basis. The tower is repainted every 7 years by a team of 25 painters-mountaineers who apply 50 tons of paint on 250,000 m2 of surface.

How to visit the Eiffel Tower

It is quite simple to visit the Eiffel Tower, everything is explained on the page of visits. Please note that it has 3 floors and there are three different tickets: One to walk (the visit then stops on the 2nd floor, the 3rd floor is not accessible by stairs), one to climb by elevator to the 2nd (It is the usual visit), and one to go up to the 3rd (It is a kind of extension of the 2nd ticket).

The visit to the 3rd floor is worth the cost for those who can afford the ticket, although the weather is not ideal as the 3rd floor contains interesting things to see. But each floor has its advantages: The first, very clean since it was redone (in 2011), is very well done. It contains a small museum, a cinema, shops, a conference room, a restaurant, and glass floors for fun. The second has remained more in the mind of the tower, it is more technological. It contains shops and a beautiful gallery that makes the tour. The third floor contains old photos, a frieze positioning the main monuments of the world, a champagne bar, and a whole lot of other things. Of course, the view from each floor is arguably the most beautiful thing you can find on the tower.

The reason of the construction

Why did you want to build a 300m high metal tower in the middle of Paris? It is a very strange idea, but it rests on two simple reasons: the Universal Exhibition of 1889 and the French pride.

We are at the end of the nineteenth century. The massive industrialization, arrived in the United States in the middle of the XIXth and in Europe at the end of the XIXth, low in full. Industrial enterprises multiply, and we discover the power of metals for constructions. All countries want to show their supremacy in this field. It was in this context that the Universal Exhibition of 1889 came. In order to show the French genius, the organizing committee of the exhibition organized a competition for the elevation of a front door made of a tower of 1000 feet high, or 300m. Gustave Eiffel, an entrepreneur in the construction of metallic bridges, launched the idea and promoted it. He answers to the specifications (which he helped to draft, or at least influenced). Other files are filed, some of real competitors, but it is indeed Gustave Eiffel who won the contest.

Rising for a period of 20 years corresponding to the concession obtained by Eiffel for the exploitation of the tower, it was saved thanks to the scientific interest that it generated.

The reluctance of artists

It is a fairly well known event in the history of the Eiffel Tower, that of the reluctance of artists. When the competition was won and the work began, there was a protest movement against the construction of the Eiffel Tower initiated by a collective of artists who feared Paris would be disfigured by this imposing metal structure. Other voices have risen to denounce the risks of collapse of the buildings that bordered the field of Mars, following the deformation of the ground. These artists signed a letter in the newspaper «Notre Temps» on February 14, 1887. Among the signatories were Emile Zola, Alexandre Dumas fils, Guy de Maupassant, Sully-Prudhomme, etc.

This was followed by a reply from Mr Alphand, chairman of the organizing committee for the exhibition, and then Mr Eiffel, who explained that there was no risk and proved it by his calculations. History will prove it right, and these artists woke up late to get the work stopped, so they did not prevent the engineer from building his tower.

The construction

Then came the assembly period. It was first of all the pillars that required the use of cranes, which would be used for the floors, but also of scaffolding on which were placed sand boxes. By pressing the metal beams on these sand boxes, it was enough to remove a little sand so that the battery slowly lowers a little. Thus, the alignment of the 4 pillars at the level of the first floor has been adjusted in height. On the other hand, in order to align their positions with each other, it was necessary to use very powerful cylinders which pushed them or pulled them out of a block. These cylinders were placed between the concrete block and the metal structure and that is why there is a legend that the Eiffel tower is mounted on a cylinder, which is false because as soon as the beams on the first floor were aligned, the jacks were removed.

The rest of the construction went rather well thanks to the cranes that climbed the beams. These cranes followed the rails of the future elevators, rails which they themselves laid as the elevation increased! Thanks to this trick and to the scaffolding, the assembly continued normally. Note that not one worker died on the site, it was one of the pride of Gustave Eiffel.

The inauguration

The inauguration of the Eiffel Tower took place on 31 March 1889, just after the completion of the construction of the metal structure. The workers were still working on it, but it was for the installation of the machinery and the installation of the elevators, plus certain finishes, here and there. But the principal, the bone, was finished. At the top stood the pole ready to receive the tricolor flag, which was the symbol of the official inauguration.

The day was quite simple. The officials climbed to the top, there were a few speeches and Eiffel mounted the tricolor flag. Then everyone came down to join the workers. There were a few more speeches, Eiffel received from the minister the legion of honor, and every worker was congratulated by the presentation of a commemorative medal. The commemorative medal «Tour Eiffel» is a symbolic souvenir object that was distributed in 1889 to all the people who participated in the construction of the monument. His strike was decided on March 16, 1889, a few days before the official inauguration of the tower.

Then there was a meal and everyone scattered. Nowadays, the inauguration of such a monument would take more time!

Scientific applications

As soon as it was built Eiffel knew that to save his tower from destruction, 20 years later, he had to prove that it had a usefulness. Of a scientific nature he began to study aerodynamics since the height of the tower allowed him to make experiments on the fall of the bodies. Quickly many people saw an interest in the high-rise tower. A first meteorological laboratory was installed at the summit, and then there was the installation of an open-air manometer. It studied the atmospheric absorption of radiation, the solar spectrum, the oscillations of the tower top and its reasons (the summit forms a kind of oval, every day), and even the physiological effects of climbing on foot.

But the army will be the savior of the tower. Indeed, the first attempts at broadcasting were promising, so the army found an interest in the tower and ordered it to be kept. It is thanks to this that it is still in Paris today.

History through time

Since its construction, in 1889, and until our days France has lived many events. As a symbol of Paris the Eiffel Tower has gone through the ages and has undergone many modifications. Some renovations (1890, 1900, 1937, 1982 and 2011), tragic events, such as the German occupation, the progress of television broadcasting, and finally a whole host of festivals and curiosities that history has left us.

The symbols of the Eiffel tower

What is the Eiffel Tower the symbol of? Of Paris, of course, but also of France, that is obvious. Moreover it is she who is represented as soon as one wants to symbolize the capital, or the country, abroad. It must be admitted that other countries are rarely in this situation, where, to illustrate their countries, there are mostly monuments. In France, it is the Eiffel Tower almost systematically. But being the emblem of France is not enough, the Eiffel Tower is also the symbol of the French genius, in the sense civil engineering. It is also associated with the grandeur of France, as a feeling of national pride that unites the people. Indeed it is to her that we turn to mark a national event, to celebrate a particular date, or to please a country whose France is the host for a few days.

Do you know that the Eiffel Tower also represents other things? All the part «Symbols of the Eiffel Tower» is to be read in the folder below.

And more, on this website.

This website offers much more information than this. See, for example, the study of the visibility of the top of the tower, the list (necessarily incomplete) of the celebrity visitors, the biographies of the characters involved in its construction, the Eiffel calculations of the forces due to the winds, a chronology of events, the description of the initial concession contract, the cost of the tower, the explanation of its lighting, including the night illumination, etc.

And as it is not yet everything, you have below all the available pages.