The Eiffel Tower – a symbol of the French capital
The Eiffel Tower, named after the French engineer Gustave Eiffel, is a true architectural symbol of Paris and one of its main attractions. And despite the fact that the city has many unique beautiful places to visit, famous boutiques where men's watches, exclusive clothing and accessories are sold, it is the tower that attracts tourists like a magnet.
But originally it was built as a temporary structure, serving as a kind of entrance arch for the Paris World's Fair in 1889. Only the radio antennas, so conveniently located at the very top of this metal beauty, at a height of more than 300 meters, saved it from the planned demolition 20 years after construction. Only thanks to this, modern tourists have the opportunity to bring back memories of their stay in France not only high-quality copies of watches from well-known manufacturers, clothing from world-famous fashion houses, but also miniature souvenirs of the Eiffel Tower.
It is located opposite the Pont d'Iéna across the Seine on the Champ de Mars, the lower floor is shaped like a pyramid formed by four columns, which are connected by an arched vault at a height of almost 60 meters. There is the first platform of the tower, serving as the base for the next pyramidal tier, which ends at a height of more than 115 meters with the second platform.
On the second platform there is a pyramidal column of grandiose (considering the year of construction) size – 190 meters. At a height of more than 270 meters from the ground, it ends with a third platform, on which a lighthouse with a dome and a platform no more than one and a half meters across is built. Stairs and elevators are provided for climbing the tower.
After the erection of such an unusual structure in the center of Paris, debates raged for a long time among the authorities and the agitated public, who were outraged by this construction. In their opinion, the tower disrupted the unique appearance of the city with its centuries-old history. Nevertheless, this 'Iron Lady' instantly gained popularity among tourists and visitors to the city, and the costs of its construction were recouped in the shortest possible time.