Paris is a magical city. Many people dream of visiting this romantic, wonderful place. The most important attraction of the French capital is the Eiffel Tower. She became the symbol of Paris. However, the Parisians did not always treat the sights with awe and delight.
The tower was not originally the Eiffel Tower. The author called the structure a "three-hundred-meter tower". It was planned that the structure would be temporary. The landmark was erected as an addition to the World Exhibition.
History of appearance
The Paris authorities announced a competition. It was necessary to design a structure that could be considered the pride of the country. The design should generate income. Another important condition of the competition was that it was necessary to design such a structure that could be easily dismantled when the need for it disappears.
The competition was won by Gustave Eiffel. The project of the "three-hundred-meter" iron tower was approved. It took more than 7 million francs to build the structure. However, the government allocated only one and a half million. The rest of the money was paid by the engineer himself, provided that the tower would be leased to him for 25 years.
The workers started construction in 1887. It took 2 years, 2 months and 5 days to create the symbol. The construction site employed 300 people. Residents of Paris immediately named the new building "The Iron Lady".
The tower was erected in the shortest possible time thanks to good drawings, on which absolutely all dimensions and the smallest details were applied. This project is considered ideal at the present stage. Despite its size, the design looks graceful and weightless. The height is equal to an 80-storey building, and the structure weighs 10 thousand tons.
During the construction, the Eiffel resorted to enough original tricks. Because of this, almost all journalists called him crazy. For example, he came up with a small crane that moved upward on rails. Thanks to this, it was possible to simplify the process of lifting heavy structures. And the mortality rate at the construction site dropped to almost zero.
The first ascent took place on March 31, 1889. Subsequently, the tower was named after the engineer.
Cool relationship
At the present stage, the Eiffel Tower is a symbol of Paris. However, the French did not always take the design well. Many residents criticized both the engineer and the site itself. The French elite even wrote letters to the government demanding to get rid of this "clumsy skeleton."
The inhabitants of Paris were outraged even by the shadow of the tower. It was also annoying that the building was visible almost everywhere. For example, Guy de Maupassant dined in a restaurant, from the windows of which it was impossible to see the structure.
Tourists had the opposite opinion of the Eiffel Tower. They liked her instantly. In the first six months alone, the structure was visited by more than 2 million people. The tower immediately recouped all construction costs.
If not so much a resounding success, the Eiffel Tower could have been dismantled in 1909. But she stayed, having brought a lot of money to her creator in 25 years.
Over time, the opponents of the tower became its "allies". The popularity of the design increased markedly after the concert played by Charles Gounod on the tower. The idea of such an "advertising campaign" belonged to Eiffel, who later equipped his personal office on the top floor. By this act, he finally "killed" all ill-wishers.
The tower was actively used after the end of the lease agreement with the engineer. It was used for communication. It housed a radio station. Beginning in 1935, the authorities began to use the tower for broadcasting television programs.
Recent history
At the present stage, the Eiffel Tower is not only the main attraction of the city, but also its symbol. Many tourists speak of the building with admiration. Even after more than a hundred years, the tower is one of the tallest structures in Paris. But at the same time, the structure exerts the same pressure on the surface of the earth as a person sitting on a chair.
