When was the Eiffel Tower built?
The Eiffel Tower was built between 1887 and 1889 for the 1889 World's Fair in Paris, which marked 100 years since the French Revolution. It took just over two years to complete.
The tower was designed by engineers Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, who worked for Gustave Eiffel's company, and architect Stephen Sauvestre. Construction began in January 1887 and finished in March 1889. About 300 workers assembled more than 18,000 iron pieces held together by about 2.5 million rivets.
At 300 meters tall, later raised to about 330 meters with antennas, it was the tallest human-made structure in the world until the Chrysler Building in New York was completed in 1930. Many artists and writers in Paris protested against it at first, calling it ugly and useless.
Saved by science
The tower was meant to stand for only 20 years. Eiffel helped save it by promoting its use for scientific experiments, especially radio transmission. Today, it is one of the most visited paid monuments in the world, welcoming about six to seven million visitors a year.
Did You Know?
The Eiffel Tower is repainted about every seven years, using around 60 tonnes of paint to protect the iron from rust.