Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889, commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution.  The Prince of Wales, later King Edward 7 of England, opened the tower.  Of the 700 proposals submitted in a design competition, Gustave Eiffel's was unanimously chosen.  However, it was not accepted by all at first, and a petition of 300 names-including those of Maupassant, Emile Zola, Charles Garnier, and Dumas the Younger -protested its construction.

At 300 metres (320.75mincluding antenna), and 7000 tons,  it was the tallest building in the world until 1930.  Other statistics include:

• 2.5 million rivets.
• 300 steel workers, and 2 years (1887-1889) to construct it.
• 15,000 iron pieces (including rivets).
• 40 tons of paint.
• 1652 steps to the top   

    Engineers: Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier

    Architect: Stephen Sauvestre

    Contractor: Gustave Eiffel

    Construction Period: 23 January 1887 to March 1889(2years, 2mounths,5days)

Tower inaugurated: March 31,1889

Construction Workers killed during constuction: 1

Height: 300.51 meters(986) (+/-15 cm depending on temperture)

Base: 412 feet square, although also noted as about 2.5 acres

Foundation Presure: 58.26 to 64 psi (9000 psf)

Paint: 50 tons every 7 years

Paint Color: Dark Brown

Number of Visitors from the beginning to 1996: 167, 664, 439

First Radio Transmission: 1918

First TV Transmission:1957

Maximum sway in wind: 12cm

Tallest structure in the world: 1889-1930 (until Chrysler Building)

Second tallest structure in the world: 1930-1932 (until Empire State Building)

Parachute Decent: 1984 by  two Englishmen

Bicycle Decent: 1923 Journalist

Mountaineering Ascent: 1954

Visibility on a clear day: 67kilometers ( 42 miles)