How tall is the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower of Paris is a world famous landmark in France. "Iron Lady" of Paris

home Eiffel Tower - this is the most famous architectural landmark Paris, known as the symbol of France, erected on Field of Mars and named after its designer.

Gustapha Eiffel It is the most recognizable and tallest building in Paris , its height together with the new antenna is 324 meters , which is approximately equal to a house in

home 81st floor! was built in 1889 and has amazing story origin. In 1889 It is the most recognizable and tallest building in V , in memory of the centenary French Revolution , Was held World's Fair

, it was thanks to the exhibition that the city authorities commissioned the creation and erection of a temporary structure to serve as its entrance arch. The all-French competition of architectural and engineering projects, which were supposed to determine the architectural appearance of the future World Exhibition, has started May 1, 1886. Participated in the competition 107 applicants , most of which, to one degree or another, have already repeated the tower design proposed Eiffel . Thus the project Eiffel

becomes one of the four winners, and then the engineer makes final changes to it, finding a compromise between the original purely engineering design scheme and the decorative option. As a result, the committee still settles on a plan Eiffel, although the idea of ​​the tower itself did not belong to him, but to two of his employees - Maurice Koechlen And Emile Nouguier . It was possible to assemble such a complex structure as a tower within two years only because Eiffel applied special methods

construction. But in order for the tower to be more refined and meet the tastes of the demanding Parisian public, the architect Stefan Sauvestre

was commissioned to work on its artistic appearance. He proposed covering the base supports of the tower with stone, connecting its supports and the ground floor platform with the help of majestic arches, which would simultaneously become the main entrance to the exhibition, placing spacious glazed halls on the floors of the tower, giving the top of the tower a rounded shape and using various decorative elements to decorate it. . IN January 1887 Eifel, state and municipality Paris signed an agreement according to which an operating lease of the tower for a period of 25 years was provided for personal use, and a cash subsidy in the amount of 1.5 million gold francs was also provided, amounting to 25% of all costs for the construction of the tower. The final construction budget was 7.8 million francs.

300 workers during two years, two months and five days carried out construction work. The record-breaking construction time was greatly facilitated by the drawings. High Quality indicating the exact dimensions. And already March 31, 1889, less than in 26 months after the start of digging pits, . It was possible to assemble such a complex structure as a tower within two years only because invited several more or less physically fit officials to the first ascent to 1,710 steps!

The structure was a stunning and immediate success. For six months of the exhibition, see "iron lady" came more 2 million visitors.

But also opponents Eiffel Tower there was also enough, starting from the very beginning of its construction. The creative intelligentsia of Paris and France spoke in this guise; they feared that the metal structure would suppress the architecture of the city, violate the unique style of the capital, which had developed over the centuries, and therefore sent indignation and demands to the Paris mayor’s office to stop the construction of the tower, and after construction, demands dismantling. But from the demolition planned under the contract, 20 years after the exhibition, the tower was saved by radio antennas installed at the very top - this was the era of the introduction of radio!

Throughout its history, the tower has repeatedly changed its paint color - from yellow to red-brown. Recent decades Eiffel Tower invariably painted in the so-called "brown-eiffel"- officially patented color, close to the natural shade of bronze

Weight of the metal tower structure - 7,300 tons (total weight 10,100 tons).

The lower floor is a pyramid formed by 4 columns connected at a height of 57.63 meters by an arched vault; on the vault is the first platform Eiffel Tower, which is a square.

On this platform rises a second pyramid-tower, also formed by 4 columns connected by a vault on which the second platform is located.

Four columns rising on the second platform, pyramidally approaching and gradually intertwining, form a colossal pyramidal column carrying a third platform, also square in shape; There is a lighthouse with a dome on it, above which there is a platform at an altitude of 300 meters. There are 1,792 steps and elevators leading to the tower.

Restaurant halls were erected on the first platform; on the second platform there are tanks with machine oil for the 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 kilometers!

According to some estimates Eiffel Tower have already visited more than 200,000,000 people since its construction in 1889! It is the most visited tourist monument in the world!

The creator of the tower often spoke humorously about his brainchild: “I should feel jealous of the tower. After all, she is much more famous than me.". Gilt bust Gustave Eiffel installed at the northern "leg" of the tower with a simple inscription: "Eiffel: 1832 - 1923".

Chronology of the construction of the Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower (Paris) - detailed description with photos, opening hours and ticket prices, location on the map.

Eiffel Tower (Paris)

The Eiffel Tower is the main attraction of Paris, a real symbol of the capital of France. This huge metal structure, over 320 meters high (exact height 324 meters), was built in 2 years and 2 months in 1889. Named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel who built it. Eiffel himself simply called it a “three hundred meter tower.” Interestingly, the Eiffel Tower was built as a temporary structure for the World Exhibition held in Paris. But not only was it not dismantled, but it also turned into a real symbol of Paris and the most visited paid attraction in the world.

When darkness falls, the Eiffel Tower turns on with beautiful lighting.

Story

For the World Exhibition of 1889, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Great French Revolution, the city authorities wanted to build architectural structure, which would become the pride of France. For this purpose, a competition was established among engineering bureaus. An offer was made to Eiffel to take part in it. Gustave himself had no ideas. He rummaged through old sketches and dug up a design for a high-rise steel tower made by his employee, Maurice Keshlin. The project was finalized and sent to the competition.

From 107 diverse projects, 4 winners were selected. Among them, of course, was the Eiffel project. After changes were made to the project to improve its architectural appeal, it was declared the winner. In January 1887, an agreement was concluded between the Eiffel Bureau and the municipal authorities of Paris for the construction of the tower. At the same time, Eiffel was given not only a cash payment, but also a lease of the tower for 25 years. The agreement provided for the tower to be dismantled after 20 years, but it became so popular that it was decided to preserve it.

1. More than 5 million people visit the Eiffel Tower every year. Over the entire period of its existence, the tower was visited by more than 250 million people. A colossal number!
2. The construction cost amounted to 7.5 million francs and was paid off during the exhibition period.
3. More than 18 thousand metal parts and 2.5 million rivets were used to build the tower.
4. The weight of the structure is more than 10 thousand tons.
5. The creative people of Paris reacted negatively to this building, believing that it did not fit into the architecture of the city. They have repeatedly sent petitions to the mayor's office calling for the construction to be stopped or dismantled. For example, one of her famous opponents, Guy de Maupassant, often dined at a restaurant located in the tower. When asked why he eats here so often? He replied that this is the only place in Paris where it (the tower) is not visible.

Eiffel Tower opening hours

The Eiffel Tower's operating hours are as follows:

• From 9.00 to 12.00 from June to September.
• From 9.00 to 23.00 in other months.

Ticket prices

To the 2nd floor by elevator

• Adults - 11 euros.
• Youth from 12 to 24 years old - 8.5 euros
• Children under 12 years old - 4 euros

To the 2nd floor via stairs

• Adults - 7 euros.
• Youth from 12 to 24 years old - 5 euros
• Children under 12 years old - 3 euros

To the top by elevator

• Adults - 17 euros.
• Youth from 12 to 24 years old - 14.5 euros
• Children under 12 years old - 8 euros

How to get there

• RER - line C, Champ de Mars - tour Eiffel
• Metro - line 6, Bir-hakeim, line 9, Trocadero.
• Bus - 82, 87, 42, 69, tour Eiffel or Champ de Mars

It is located on the Champ de Mars near the Jena Bridge over the Seine River. The Eiffel Tower is known to every person on earth, and since its construction, more than 250 million people have visited its observation decks.

How to get to the Eiffel Tower

• Bir-Hakeim metro station (line 6) or Trocadero station (line 9).

Eiffel Tower levels

• The ground floor area is located at an altitude of 57 meters. This site can be reached on foot and by elevator. First level tickets are the cheapest. There are souvenir shops and a restaurant here, and you can also see a fragment of the spiral staircase that previously connected the second and third floors.
• The second floor is located at an altitude of 115 meters and offers a beautiful panorama of Paris. There are souvenir shops and a restaurant here.
• Tourists can get to the third level in two stages: first, the elevator goes to the second level. Here you need to find an elevator that goes from the second to the third level. From a height of 276 meters, an unforgettable view of the capital of France opens. In a small bar you can buy and drink a glass of champagne for 12-21 euros.
• There are toilets on the second and third levels.

Opening hours of the Eiffel Tower in 2019

• June 21 - September 2
  • Elevator access from 9:00 to 0:45, last visit to the upper level starts at 23:00
  • Staircase access from 9:00 to 0:45, last visit at 0:00
• September 3 - June 20
  • Elevator access from 9:30 to 23:45, last visit to the upper level begins at 22:30
  • Staircase access from 9:30 to 18:30, last visit at 18:00

Eiffel Tower ticket prices 2019

Tickets for the Eiffel Tower can be purchased directly from the ticket office at the foot of the tower or on the official website. Buying tickets at the box office is a last resort if there are no seats online or for some other reason. In this case, you will have to stand in two lines - at the ticket office, and directly in front of the elevator. Tickets are sold online for specific time slots. You will need to arrive a little earlier and show a printed ticket. When purchasing online, the queue will consist only of those who bought tickets for the same time. It is strongly recommended not to visit the Eiffel Tower on weekends and holidays- crowds of tourists are intensified by the French from all over the country and residents neighboring countries. If your visit still falls on holidays, then you need to buy a ticket in advance, for example, a month in advance.

• Third level (on two elevators)
  • Adults - 25.5 euros
  • Children 12-24 years old - 12.7 euros
  • Children 4-11 years old - 6.4 euros
• Third level (stairs + elevator)
  • Adults - 19.4 euros
  • Children 12-24 years old - 9.7 euros
  • Children 4-11 years old - 4.9 euros
  • Children under 4 years old accompanied by adults - free
• Second level by elevator
  • Adults - 16.3 euros
  • Children 12-24 years old - 8.1 euros
  • Children 4-11 years old - 4.1 euros
  • Children under 4 years old accompanied by adults - free
• Second level by stairs
  • Adults - 10.2 euros
  • Children 12-24 years old - 5.1 euros
  • Children 4-11 years old - 2.5 euros
  • Children under 4 years old accompanied by adults - free

The history of the Eiffel Tower

The history of the construction of this unusual structure began in 1889, when the World Exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution took place in Paris.

The city authorities decided to build a temporary structure in the form of an arch as an entrance to the exhibition. On May 1, 1886, a design competition began, the winner of which was the work of Auguste Eiffel, who proposed an option that was not only interesting in engineering terms, but also beautifully designed. Upon learning of his victory in the competition, the designer exclaimed: “France will be the only country with a 300-meter flagpole!”

It should be noted that the idea of ​​the structure itself belonged to the designers Maurice Koechlen and Emile Nouguier, and the artistic appearance of the structure was created by the architect Stéphane Sauvestre. He proposed covering the base supports with stone and creating majestic entrance arches, placing glazed halls on the floors, and making the top of the structure round. To assemble such a huge structure in short time made possible by the construction method proposed by Eiffel.

An agreement was signed between Auguste Eiffel and the state, according to which the tower was leased to the engineer for 25 years.

Attitudes towards the tower were very different. So Maupassant said that he feels good only at its peak, when he does not see this monster; at the same time, the French writer Jean Cocteau and the poet Apollinaire Guillaume admired the monster. Vladimir Mayakovsky talked to the Eiffel Tower and persuaded it, “Come, tower, to us.”

The attitude towards the Eiffel Tower became a test of one's readiness to enter the 20th century. If you don’t like it, grandpa, it’s time for you to go to the Parisian cemetery Père Lachaise, but if you like it, welcome to the 20th century.

The construction of the tallest structure at that time cost 7.8 million francs, with 1.5 million gold francs being reimbursed to the Eiffel as a subsidy.

26 months after construction began on March 31, 1889, the work was completed and Gustave Eiffel and the most resilient officials climbed up 1,710 steps. And in just the first six months, more than 2 million visitors climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Upon completion, the Eiffel Tower had a height of 300.65 meters and surpassed the tallest structures of that time - the Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt with a height of 137 meters, Cologne and Ulm Cathedral in Germany with a height of 157 and 161 meters, respectively. At the same time, the height of the Chrysler Building skyscraper in New York, built in 1930, was 319 meters and it became the tallest building in the world at that time.

According to the contract concluded upon completion of construction, the structure was to be dismantled after 20 years. But the “iron lady” was saved by radio antennas installed at the top. This was a period of development of radio communications and on January 1, 1910, the agreement was extended for another 70 years.

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, total weight- 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.

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 European Union available 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 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 May 1, Lockroy announced a change in conditions open competition, the focus of which was central part Exhibitions, 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 the Champs de 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 arise in people’s heads when work began on the Champ de Mars: the “Committee of Three Hundred” (one participant for every meter of tower height) was formed under the leadership of famous architect Charles Garnier, as well as some of the most important figures in 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 that creepy dream. And within twenty years...we will see the ink stain of the hated shadow from the hated column of dangling sheet metal stretch."

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. Visible work on site has been supplemented a huge amount demanding preparatory work, which 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 psychiatric hospital". At this stage, a small "creeping" crane was installed, designed to move up the tower in each leg. They used guides for the elevators, which were to be installed in four legs. The critical stage of connecting the legs on the first level was completed by late March 1888. Although the ironwork was prepared with great attention to detail, minor adjustments were later made to level 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 serious question government commission supervising 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 cylinders 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 members decided to stop at more low levels, but several of them, including structural engineer Emile Nouguier, construction manager Jean Compagnon, the President of the City Council and reporters from Le Figaro and Le Monde Illustre, climbed to the top 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 specimen 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 tall building in the world when the Chrysler Building was completed in New York. In 1938, the decorative arcade around the first level was removed.

After German occupation 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 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 used more often graphical methods to determine the strength of the tower and empirical data to take into account 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. Since 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 due to concerns about 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" estimated 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. Court of Cassation, judicial court France 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)