When was the Eiffel Tower built?

When was the Eiffel Tower built?

If you ever get a chance to go to Paris, one of the first places must visit is the Eiffel Tower. It is an iron tower built on the Champ de Mars beside the River Seine in Paris, France. It is the tallest structure in Paris and one of the most visited monuments in the world.

Name of its designer, engineer Gustavo Eiffel, the structure was built between 1887 and 1889 as the entrance arch for the Exposition Universelle, a World fair that marked the centennial celebration of the French Revolution. It was inaugurated on 31 March 1889, and opened on 6th May.

At the time the tower was built, its daring shape shocked many people. Gustavo Eiffel was criticized for the design, but the shape of the tower was determined by mathematical calculation involving wind resistance. The tower soars three hundred metres into the sky, and offers breath taking views of the beautiful city of Paris.

During its lifetime, the Eiffel Tower has also witnessed a few strange scenes, including being scaled by a mountaineer in 1954, and parachuted off in 1984 by two Englishmen. In 1923 a journalist even rode bicycle down from the first level!