Eiffel Tower facts
1. Eiffel Tower Location & Status
Located in Paris, France, on the Champ de Mars near the Seine River.
It’s the most visited paid monument in the world, attracting over 7 million visitors annually.
2. Eiffel Tower Construction & History
Built for the 1889 Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.
Designed by engineer Gustave Eiffel (though much of the actual design work was done by Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier).
Construction took 2 years, 2 months, and 5 days (January 28, 1887 – March 15, 1889).
3. Eiffel Tower Dimensions & Structure
Height: 330 meters (1,083 feet) with antennas; originally 300 m.
Weight: About 10,100 tons.
Composed of 18,038 wrought iron pieces joined by 2.5 million rivets.
4. Eiffel Tower Color & Maintenance
Painted every 7 years to protect against rust — uses about 60 tons of paint each time.
Currently painted in a bronze shade called “Eiffel Tower Brown”.
5. Eiffel Tower Special Features
Has 3 levels accessible to visitors; the summit offers panoramic views of Paris.
Contains restaurants, gift shops, and a champagne bar at the top.
During strong winds, the tower can sway up to 7 cm (2.8 inches).
Sparkles with 20,000 light bulbs for 5 minutes every hour after dark.
The light display was introduced for the millennium celebrations in 2000.
7. Eiffel Tower Cultural Significance
Was initially disliked by many Parisians and artists, who called it an eyesore.
Planned to be dismantled after 20 years, but saved because it proved useful as a radio transmission tower.
During World War II, the lift cables were cut so Hitler would have to climb the stairs if he wanted to reach the top — he never did.