ABitofHistoryTheEiffelTowerwasbuiltfortheInternationalExhibitionofParisof1889commemoratingthecentenaryoftheFrenchRevolution.ThePrinceofWales,laterKingEdwardVIIofEngland,openedthetower.Ofthe700proposalssubmittedinadesigncompetition,GustaveEiffel'swasunanimouslychosen.Howeveritwasnotacceptedbyallatfirst,andapetitionof300names-includingthoseofMaupassant,EmileZola,CharlesGarnier(architectoftheOpéraGarnier),andDumastheYounger-protesteditsconstruction.At300metres(320.75mincludingantenna),and7000tons,itwastheworld'stallestbuildinguntil1930.Otherstatisticsinclude:·2.5millionrivets.·300steelworkers,and2years(1887-1889)toconstructit.·Swayofatmost12cminhighwinds.·Heightvariesupto15cmdependingontemperature.·15,000ironpieces(excludingrivets).·40tonsofpaint.·1652stepstothetop.Itwasalmosttorndownin1909,butwassavedbecauseofitsantenna-usedfortelegraphyatthattime.Beginningin1910itbecamepartoftheInternationalTimeService.Frenchradio(since1918),andFrenchtelevision(since1957)havealsomadeuseofitsstature.Duringitslifetime,theEiffelTowerhasalsowitnessedafewstrangescenes,includingbeingscaledbyamountaineerin1954,andparachutedoffofin1984bytwoEnglishmen.In1923ajournalistrodeabicycledownfromthefirstlevel.Someaccountssayherodedownthestairs,otheraccountssuggesttheexteriorofoneofthetower'sfourlegswhichslopeoutward.However,ifitsbirthwasdifficult,itisnowcompletelyacceptedandmustbelistedasoneofthesymbolsofParisitself.Ecole-Militaireseenthroughthebaseofthetower.NotesThetowerhasthreeplatforms.Arestaurant(extremelyexpensive;reservationsabsolutelynecessary),theJulesVerneisonthesecondplatform.Thetopplatformhasabar,souvenirshop,andthe(recentlyrestored)officeofGustaveEiffel.Fromitsplatforms-especiallythetopmost-theviewuponParisissuperb.Itisgenerallyagreedthatonehourbeforesunset,thepanoramaisatitsbest.
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