Eiffel Tower

Copyright: ;
Date of birth: March 31, 1889 (hoisting the flag to the top), built for the Universal Exhibition in celebration of the French Revolution.

Age: 114 years

Contractor: Gustave Eiffel & Cie

Engineers: Maurice Koechlin & Emile Nouguier

Architect: Stephen Sauvestre

Studies: Begun in 1884

Construction: 1887 to 1889 (2 years, 2 m onths

and 5 days)

Composition: 18,038 pieces, 2,500,000 rivets

Weight of the metal structure: 7,300 tons

Total weight: 10,100 tons

Height: 324m (height with flagpole)

Numbers of visitors up to December 31, 2002 204,381,152

Distinctive feature: recognizable throughout the entire world

Number of steps: 1665

Owner: City of Paris

The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, opened the tower. Of the 700 proposals submitted in a design competition, Gustave Eiffel ‘s was unanimously chosen.

However it was not accepted by all at first, and a petition of 300 names – including those of Maupassant, Emile Zola, Charles Garnier (architect of the Op'ra Garnier), and Dumas the Younger – protested its construction.