Today, France’s Eiffel Tower is celebrated as one of the most iconic landmarks in the world. However, when it was first built, there were many angry people who said that it should be knocked down immediately. What on earth were they thinking?
We can only think of one. It’s the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. It was built as the entrance to the 1889 World Fair, a 100-year anniversary of the start of the French Revolution. For such a big event, the organisers wanted an entrance that everyone would remember. A competition was held and 107 proposals were received. The winning proposal came from Mr Gustave Eiffel, an engineer who had built many iron railway bridges around the world.
Even though everyone loves the Eiffel Tower today, not everyone liked the idea in the beginning. At the time, such a tall building was unheard of. Some described the design as a ‘giant electric pylon’ or a ‘truly tragic street lamp’. A group of artists complained saying, “We, writers and painters, protest with all our strength against the erection of this useless Eiffel Tower.” No-one listened, and building began on 01 July 1887.
Three hundred people worked on its construction; 18,038 pieces of iron weighing 7,300 tonnes were made, each built to 1/10th of a millimetre so every piece could fit together perfectly, and 60 tonnes of paint were used to stop it from rusting.
When finished, the Eiffel Tower reached 324 metres – about the height of an 81-storey building. It towered not just over the World Fair, but the whole of Paris. It was soon described by newspapers around the world as a symbol of French industrial power.
With three different levels to visit, people queued for hours so they could take a closer look and enjoy the views. Two million visited the Eiffel Tower in its first 12 months. This was certainly good news for Gustave Eiffel. He was allowed to receive all visitor income during the World Fair and for the following 20 years.
No trip to Paris today is complete without a visit to its Eiffel Tower. Nearly seven million people visited in 2015 and it is the most visited paid monument in the world. Its success shows that you should not always listen to critics when you have a big and wonderful idea. Even though the first designs made it look like a huge electric pylon, it became one of the biggest tourist attractions in the world.
Question:
VIDEO: Enjoy some more views of the Eiffel Tower
VOCABULARY
