The Incredible Story Behind the Construction of the Eiffel Tower

TLDRThe Eiffel Tower, standing at 324 meters tall, was built for the World's Fair in Paris in 1889. Gustave Eiffel and his team designed a metal frame structure and constructed it using hydraulic jacks, prefabricated parts, and millions of rivets. Initially criticized, the tower became an iconic symbol of Paris and remained the tallest structure in the world for 40 years.

Key insights

🗼The Eiffel Tower was built for the World's Fair in Paris in 1889 and was designed by Gustave Eiffel.

🏗️The tower's construction involved using hydraulic jacks to ensure the legs were built simultaneously and raising them to create a horizontal first floor.

🔩18,000 prefabricated parts and 2.5 million rivets were used to assemble the Eiffel Tower.

⏰Construction of the tower took just over two years and was completed on March 31, 1889.

💰Despite initial criticism, the Eiffel Tower attracted 2 million visitors in its first year, generating significant ticket sales.

Q&A

Why was the Eiffel Tower built?

—The Eiffel Tower was built as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair in Paris.

Who designed the Eiffel Tower?

—The Eiffel Tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel and his team of engineers.

How tall is the Eiffel Tower?

—The Eiffel Tower stands at a height of 324 meters, including the antenna spire.

Was the Eiffel Tower well-received initially?

—No, the tower faced criticism from Parisians who considered it an eyesore and feared it would topple over.

How long was the Eiffel Tower the tallest structure in the world?

—The Eiffel Tower held the title of the tallest structure in the world for 40 years.

Timestamped Summary

00:05The Eiffel Tower is 300.65cm tall, 324 meters if you control the antenna spire.

00:12A competition was launched for the World's Fair in Paris in 1889 to design a tower that would be the tallest structure in the world.

01:26Construction involved creating 2m thick concrete slabs for the foundations and using hydraulic jacks to ensure the legs were built simultaneously.

01:4718,000 prefabricated parts and 2.5 million rivets were used to assemble the tower's main body.

02:21Construction of the Eiffel Tower was completed on March 31, 1889.

02:39Initially criticized, the tower became an iconic symbol of Paris and attracted millions of visitors.

02:53The Eiffel Tower remained the tallest structure in the world for 40 years.

03:06Today, the Eiffel Tower is a renowned icon of Paris.

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