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    Parisian International Exposition of 1889 French Revolution: Eiffel Tower, French Tour Eiffel

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    The Eiffel Tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel as the entrance to the 1889 World's Fair in Paris to commemorate the French Revolution. At 324 meters, it was the tallest structure in the world at the time and was an engineering marvel as it was constructed entirely of iron. While initially controversial, it has become an iconic symbol of Paris.

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    Parisian International Exposition of 1889 French Revolution: Eiffel Tower, French Tour Eiffel

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    Maya Kintan
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    The Eiffel Tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel as the entrance to the 1889 World's Fair in Paris to commemorate the French Revolution. At 324 meters, it was the tallest structure in the world at the time and was an engineering marvel as it was constructed entirely of iron. While initially controversial, it has become an iconic symbol of Paris.

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    The Eiffel Tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel as the entrance to the 1889 World's Fair in Paris to commemorate the French Revolution. At 324 meters, it was the tallest structure in the world at the time and was an engineering marvel as it was constructed entirely of iron. While initially controversial, it has become an iconic symbol of Paris.

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    23 views3 pages

    Parisian International Exposition of 1889 French Revolution: Eiffel Tower, French Tour Eiffel

    Uploaded by

    Maya Kintan
    The Eiffel Tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel as the entrance to the 1889 World's Fair in Paris to commemorate the French Revolution. At 324 meters, it was the tallest structure in the world at the time and was an engineering marvel as it was constructed entirely of iron. While initially controversial, it has become an iconic symbol of Paris.

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    Eiffel Tower, French 

    Tour Eiffel, Parisian landmark that is also a


    technological masterpiece in building-construction history. When the
    French government was organizing the International Exposition of 1889 to
    celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution, a competition was held
    for designs for a suitable monument. More than 100 plans were submitted,
    and the Centennial Committee accepted that of the
    noted bridge engineer Gustave Eiffel. Eiffel’s concept of a 300-metre (984-
    foot) tower built almost entirely of open-lattice wrought iron aroused
    amazement, skepticism, and no little opposition on aesthetic grounds.
    When completed, the tower served as the entrance gateway to the
    exposition.

    Eiffel Tower
    Eiffel Tower, Paris.

    © Corbis

    Nothing remotely like the Eiffel Tower had ever been built; it was twice as
    high as the dome of St. Peter’s in Rome or the Great Pyramid of Giza. In
    contrast to such older monuments, the tower was erected in only about two
    years (1887–89), with a small labour force, at slight cost. Making use of his
    advanced knowledge of the behaviour of metal arch and metal truss forms
    under loading, Eiffel designed a light, airy, but strong structure that
    presaged a revolution in civil engineering and architectural design. And,
    after it opened to the public on May 15, 1889, it ultimately vindicated itself
    aesthetically.
    The Eiffel Tower stands on four lattice-girder piers that taper inward and
    join to form a single large vertical tower. As they curve inward, the piers are
    connected to each other by networks of girders at two levels that afford
    viewing platforms for tourists. By contrast, the four semicircular arches at
    the tower’s base are purely aesthetic elements that serve no structural
    function. Because of their unique shape, which was dictated partly by
    engineering considerations but also partly by Eiffel’s artistic sense, the piers
    required elevators to ascend on a curve; the glass-cage machines designed
    by the Otis Elevator Company of the United States became one of the
    principal features of the building, helping establish it as one of the world’s
    premier tourist attractions.
    Eiffel Tower, Paris.

    © Goodshoot/Jupiterimages

    The tower itself is 300 metres (984 feet) high. It rests on a base that is 5
    metres (17 feet) high, and a television antenna atop the tower gives it a total
    elevation of 324 metres (1,063 feet). The Eiffel Tower was the tallest
    structure in the world until the topping off of the Chrysler Building in New
    York City in 1929.
    Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content.Subscribe Now

    The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by  Adam
    Augustyn, Managing Editor, Reference Content.

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