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Contents
Eiffel Tower 101: Facts about the Iron Lady you didn’t know before
The top 10 interesting facts about the Eiffel Tower
1. The Eiffel is permanent– the tower wasn’t
The Eiffel doesn’t believe in the saying ‘All good things must come to an end’, as although the tower was built as a temporary exhibit for the commemoration of the French Revolution’s 100th anniversary, it proved to be way too useful to be dismantled after the 1889 World Fair! With Gustave Eiffel taking it upon himself to save his creation’s future, he equipped it with a radio antenna and a wireless telegraph transmitter, which broadcasts radio and television programs to this day.
2. The Eiffel Tower's hidden tributes
Paris might be the hub of everything art, but science hasn’t been left behind the canvases! The Eiffel Tower pays homage to the biggest names in science and engineering of the 1800s, as tributes of 72 French scientists were etched on the iron of the structure. Although the engravings were painted over in the 20th century, a restoration effort of the 1980s made sure that the names were visible again. If you have a penchant for scavenger hunts, you can point out names like Foucault, Dumas, and Perrier, immortalized on the Iron Lady's first floor base!
3. The leaning tower of Paris
The Eiffel might be a steel giant, but it transforms into a little kid enjoying the weather when there’s a strong gust! During a storm, the tower sways in the winds and you can actually see it move during extreme weather conditions. But that’s not all: it even acts like a sunflower on sunny days! As the sun heats one side of the tower more than the others, the entire structure can tilt a bit. This seasonal lean can be as much as six inches, and on a clear day, you might even be able to see the very top of the tower trace a small circle, about 15 centimeters wide.
4. The tower has a (not-so) secret apartment
When Gustave Eiffel built the tower, he made sure he reserved the best spot for himself for a tea break with a breathtaking view! At the top of the tower, the architect built a private apartment where he hosted famous guests like Thomas Edison, complete with a science lab for experiments. You can visit the space while on your tour of the summit, where you can even witness a recreated scene featuring wax figures of Eiffel, his daughter, and Edison, all deep in conversation amidst the city’s panorama.
Explore the Eiffel Tower Summit5. Built by Gustave Eiffel, designed by others
While the tower was named after Gustave Eiffel, the Eiffel Tower's design wasn't his solo act. The masterminds behind the structure were two of his company's engineers, Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier. To make the structure more aesthetically pleasing, they teamed up with French architect Stephen Sauvestre for some artistic flair. Although Eiffel wasn't the designer, he did play a major role by financing most of the project and purchasing the patent rights later.
6. The Eiffel Tower served during the World War
No, we are not talking about the GenZ “serve” that means ‘looking good’– though the tower does grab eyeballs– but it actually served a purpose during the First World War. In 1914, as the German troops were marching towards Paris, a radio transmitter in the structure jammed their communications. The result? The Allies won at the First Battle of Marne, as the French used the tower's powerful signal to eavesdrop on enemy messages from Berlin, giving them a tactical advantage!
History of the Eiffel Tower7. Hitler and the order of the tower’s destruction
Do you remember how in The Hunger Games, District 13 had been turned into rubble by the Capitol? Paris almost faced a similar fate. Back in 1944, as the Allied forces closed in, Nazi dictator Hitler, in a last-ditch effort, ordered the demolition of the whole city, the Eiffel included. He believed a demolished Paris would symbolize the fall of France. Fortunately, the German commander in charge, General Dietrich von Choltitz, disobeyed this order and saved the iconic city from ruin.
8. The Eiffel is bonded in holy matrimony: with a human
Not only is the Eiffel a symbol of romance, it has its own love story too! In 2004, Erika Aya, an American competitive archer saw the tower for the first time and felt an instant attraction, following which she “married” the Iron Lady in 2007 in a commitment ceremony. Medical experts consider this as objectophilia (a form of paraphilia), a disorder in which people develop unusually strong emotional attachments to inanimate objects. Erika Eiffel (surname changed!) also founded Object Sexuality Internationale, a website that offers support to those who have a strong emotional connection to inanimate objects. Talk of love at first sight!
9. The various hues of the Eiffel Tower
The Iron Lady gets a grooming session and a makeover every seven years, as after all, she's just a girl! The process of repainting involves stripping away old paint, cleaning the iron, and applying a rust-proof barrier– all by hand on the 300-meter masterpiece. Interestingly, over time, the tower has sported various colors, from Venetian red to shades of yellow-orange. Since 1968, it's donned the shade that we know today, which came to be called Eiffel Tower Brown. This three-tone brown cleverly hides air pollution and creates a uniform look, with the darkest shade at the top gradually lightening as it reaches the base.
Eiffel Tower Light Show10. Once a post office, always a star
Being as iconic as it is, the Eiffel Tower has always been a multitasker– it has housed a surprising variety of things, from Gustave Eiffel's own swanky apartment to the Le Figaro newsroom, a radio station and even a theater! But nothing can beat the most interesting installation here: a post office, located 187 meters high. Considered the smallest Parisian post office, it allowed people to send postcards with special Eiffel Tower stamps and postmarks. In fact, mailboxes on every level let you send greetings with proof you conquered each stage of the tower!
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Eiffel Tower
What was the Eiffel Tower's original purpose?
The Eiffel Tower was designed as the entrance gateway to the 1889 International Exposition.
How many steps are there to the top of the Eiffel Tower?
There are over 1,700 steps to the summit, but elevators are the usual way up!
Has the Eiffel Tower ever been sold?
Believe it or not, a con artist once managed to sell scrap metal dealers a fake replica of the Eiffel Tower in 1925!
What movies feature the Eiffel Tower prominently?
There are many movies with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop, ranging from romantic comedies to action films, like Midnight in Paris, Before Sunset, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, A View to a Kill, An American Werewolf in Paris, and Ratatouille.
Does the Eiffel Tower help the environment?
Yes, the Eiffel Tower actually takes steps to reduce its environmental impact! It utilizes two wind turbines installed on the structure to generate a portion of its electricity. This renewable energy source helps to offset the tower's overall energy consumption.
Is the Eiffel Tower the tallest structure in France?
No, the Eiffel Tower is actually the second-tallest structure in France. The Millau Viaduct, a bridge, holds the title for the tallest structure in France.
How popular is the Eiffel Tower?
The Eiffel Tower holds the title of the most-visited paid monument in the world, attracting 7 million visitors annually.
How useful is the Eiffel today?
In one word: quite! The Eiffel Tower's network of 120 emitters and installations beams signals for 45 TV channels and 32 radio stations, reaching a wide audience in the surrounding region.
