Eiffel Tower spire. Characteristics of the Eiffel Tower

The height of the Eiffel Tower which is considered the most recognizable landmark located in Paris, is 300 meters. This is the tallest building not only in the city, but throughout France.

Story

The construction of the future symbol of the city was completed in 1889. Construction was timed to coincide with the opening of the World Exhibition, held that same year in the French capital.

1889 was the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. The leadership of the Third Republic decided to amaze the population and guests with a truly unusual structure. A competition was announced, which was won by the company of engineer Gustave Eiffel. This project proposed the construction of a huge 300-meter building in the city center. Leading roles in the development of the project were played by engineers Emile Nouguier and Maurice Koehlen. After the closing of the World Exhibition, the structure was supposed to be dismantled.

To many Parisians, the idea of ​​​​building a huge futuristic-looking structure in the very center of the city seemed unsuccessful. Writers opposed it: Alexandre Dumas the son, Emile Zola, Guy de Maupassant, composer Charles Gounod.

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Knyazeva Victoria

Guide to Paris and France

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The Eiffel Tower was a huge success with the public. Construction costs were recouped within a year.

Construction process

After 20 years, the building was to be dismantled. Technological progress intervened. By that time, radio had been invented, and a powerful transmitter and antenna were placed on top. In 1898, the first radio communication session was successfully carried out. It was mainly used for radio communications, then, already in the 20th century, for television.

Bercy: Parisian district

Eiffel Tower now

Visiting this attraction is open to everyone. In each of the leg-columns there are entrances for access inside. The cost of visiting depends on the level to which you plan to climb. The ticket price for the second tier is 11 euros, for the observation deck located at the very top - 17 euros. How long you have to wait in line depends on luck and the influx of tourists.

Three floors are available for visiting. You can move between them by elevator or on foot. There is usually a long queue for the elevator.

• The first tier is at an altitude of 57.64 meters. It is the largest in area, almost 4415 square meters. meters, 3000 people can be here at the same time.
• The second tier, which is at an altitude of 115.7 meters, is already much smaller. Area - 1430 sq. meters, it is planned to accommodate 1600 people.
• The third tier (height 276.1 meters) is the last. Its dimensions are 250 sq. meters and capacity up to 400 people. This is the most high point The Eiffel Tower, which you can climb.
• Above is a lighthouse and a long spire with a flagpole.

Height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

Features of design and shape

Many people are interested in the question of what is the exact height of Eiffel’s creation. The tower itself rose to a height of 300.65 m. Subsequently, a spire-shaped antenna was installed on the top. This increased the size of the structure. The exact height increased to 324.82 meters.

Cemetery Père Lachaise

The Eiffel Tower has a very original and memorable look. However, there are few people in the whole world who are not familiar with it. Its shape can be described as a highly elongated pyramid. Four columns rise up and merge into one square-shaped structure. Material: puddling steel.

View from the Champ de Mars

The structure, built at the end of the last century, is highly reliable. The design, created by Gustave Eiffel, withstands even strong winds. The technologies used make it possible to compensate for the thermal expansion of the metal, due to the unevenness of which the top deviates by a maximum of 18 cm.

Backlight

It was decided to equip such a tall structure, which dominates the center of Paris, with spectacular lighting.

At first, acetylene lamps, two spotlights and a lighthouse on top, painted in the colors of the national flag - white, red and blue, were used for this. Since 1900, electric lamps began to be used for these purposes.

For 9 years, from 1925 to 1934, Citroen founder Andre Citroen placed special advertisements on the building. It was called "Eiffel Tower on Fire." A system of 125 thousand light bulbs was installed, which alternately lit up and formed the silhouettes of a flying comet, the year of construction, a shooting star, the current date and the word Citroen.

Since 1937, spotlights have been used for illumination, illuminating the building from below. In 2006, the tower was illuminated blue for the first time in honor of the 20th anniversary of the European Union. In 2008, during the period when France was appointed chairman of the Council of Europe, the tower had an unusual illumination - a blue background with gold stars, reminiscent of the banner of the European Union.

The Eiffel Tower has been part of the urban landscape of Paris for a hundred years and has become its symbol. But it is also not only the heritage of all of France, but also a monument to the great technical achievements of the late 19th century.

Who built the Eiffel Tower?

Since the second half of the 19th century, progress has led many countries around the world to build high-rise structures. Many of the projects suffered defeats even at the conception stage, but there were also those engineers who firmly believed in the success of their plans. Gustave Eiffel was one of the latter.

Gustave Eiffel

For the centenary of the Industrial Revolution in 1886, Paris opens a competition to create new outstanding achievements of our time. According to its concept, this event was to become one of the most outstanding events of its time. In the course of this idea, the Palace of Machines made of metal and glass, destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century, and the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, 1000 feet high, were born.

Work on the Eiffel Tower project began back in 1884. By the way, Eiffel was not new to his business; before that, he brilliantly managed to find solutions in the field of construction of railway bridges. For the design competition, he provided about 5,000 sheets of drawings of the tower parts in the original scale. The project was approved, but this was only the beginning of hard work. There were still 3 years left before Eiffel would forever immortalize his name in history.

Construction of the Eiffel Tower

Many famous residents did not accept the construction of a tower in the middle of the city. Writers, artists, sculptors, and architects protested against this construction, which, in their opinion, violated the original beauty of Paris.

But, nevertheless, the work continued. A huge 5-meter pit was dug into which four 10-meter blocks were installed under each leg of the tower. Additionally, each of the 16 tower supports was equipped with hydraulic jacks to obtain an ideal horizontal level. Without this plan, the construction of the tower could have dragged on forever.

July 1888

250 workers were able to erect the tallest tower of its time in the world in just 26 months. Here it is only worth envying Eiffel’s capabilities in the field of accurate calculations and organization of work. The height of the Eiffel Tower is 320 meters, the total weight is about 7500 tons.

The tower is divided into three tiers - 60 meters, 140 meters and 275 meters. Four elevators inside the tower's legs take visitors up to the second. The fifth elevator goes to the third level. There is a restaurant on the ground floor, a newspaper office on the second, and Eiffel's office on the third.

Despite early criticism, the tower blended seamlessly with the city's views and quickly became a symbol of Paris. During the exhibition alone, about two million people visited here, some of whom immediately climbed to the very top on foot.

With the end of the exhibition, it was decided to demolish the tower. New technologies - radio - became her salvation. Antennas were quickly installed on the tallest structure. In subsequent years, television and radar antennas were installed on it. There is also a weather station and broadcasting of city services.

Until the construction of the Empire State Building in 1931, the tower remained the tallest structure in the world. It is difficult to imagine the city of Paris without this glorious image.

The Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris, has a complicated history. At first they categorically did not accept it, then they got used to it, and now it is impossible to imagine the capital of France without this amazing structure.

Location

The famous symbol of Paris, which gives the city a familiar look throughout the world, is located on a former military parade ground, which has been turned into a beautiful park. It is divided into alleys decorated with small ponds and flower beds. Opposite the tower is the Jena Bridge. The elegant openwork structure is visible from many points in Paris, although this was not Eiffel's original intention. The tower was supposed to fulfill one function - to become an unusual entrance to the World Exhibition.

Project approval and design assignment

The history of the Eiffel Tower began at the end of the 19th century. In 1889, the World Exhibition was to be held in the capital of France. This event was of great importance for the country. It was timed to coincide with the centenary of the day and was supposed to last for 6 months.

One of the objectives of the exhibition is to demonstrate technical innovations, so the creators of the pavilions competed to see whose project would most reflect the future. The entrance to the exhibition was supposed to be an arch. The architects were given the task of preparing a design for a structure that would demonstrate the technical power of the country and the achievements of engineering.

An offer to participate in the competition from the Parisian administration was sent to all engineering and design bureaus of the city, including Gustave Eiffel. He had no ready-made solutions, and decided to look for something suitable in projects that had been postponed. It was there that he found a sketch of the tower created by Maurice Keshlin, his employee. With the help of Emile Nouguier, the construction project was finalized and submitted to the competition by Eiffel. The prudent engineer first received a patent for it together with the creators of the project, and then bought it from Keshlen and Nouguier. Thus, ownership of the tower drawings passed to Gustave Eiffel.

Many interesting and controversial projects were proposed for the competition, and the story of the Eiffel Tower might never have begun. The engineer made changes to the design to make it more decorative, and of the four remaining applicants at the end of the competition, the commission chose him.

Eiffel Tower - year of construction and stages of construction

Construction of the gigantic structure began on January 28, 1887. It lasted for two years, two months and five days. At that time this was an unprecedented speed. Everything was explained by the highest accuracy of the drawings, in which the size of more than 18 thousand structural parts was scrupulously accurately indicated. In addition, in order to speed up the pace of work as much as possible, Eiffel used pre-fabricated parts of the tower. Two and a half million rivets were used to connect all the structural parts. In the pre-prepared parts, the holes for the rivets were already drilled and most of them were installed, which significantly speeded up assembly.

Eiffel provided that none of the pre-prepared beams and other parts of the structure weighed more than 3 tons - this would make them easier to lift with cranes. When the height of the tower outgrew the size of the lifting devices, mobile cranes designed by the architect specifically for this purpose came to the rescue, moving along rails created for future elevators.

The most difficult thing for us was not the work at the very top, at a 300-meter height, but the construction of the first platform of the tower. Sand-filled metal cylinders supported the weight of four inclined supports. By gradually releasing the sand, they could be installed in the correct position. When this was done, the first platform was installed strictly horizontally.

The cost of construction of the tower amounted to almost 8 million francs. Construction costs were recouped during the exhibition period (6 months).

Weight and size of the structure

How many meters high was the Eiffel Tower at first? It was 300 meters long and was much more impressive in its size (93 meters including the granite pedestal).

How many meters tall is the Eiffel Tower now? After installing the new antenna, it became 24 meters higher. The total weight of the tower is 10 thousand tons. With each painting, the weight of the building increases by another 60 tons.

The fate of the tower after the exhibition and the attitude of Parisians towards it

According to the agreement concluded with Eiffel, the tower was to be dismantled 20 years after its construction. Its success was deafening - during the exhibition, more than two million people wanted to look at the ingenious structure, which had no equal in the world. Within a year, we managed to recoup most of the construction costs. But the admiration of the exhibition visitors was not shared by the creative intelligentsia of Paris. The Eiffel Tower (France did not know a more controversial opinion about any other structure) caused indignation and irritation among artists and writers. They considered it ugly, like a factory chimney, and were afraid that it would disrupt the unique appearance of Paris, which had developed over centuries.

The history of the Eiffel Tower could have ended with its dismantling if not for the advent of the radio era. Radio antennas were installed on the building, and the building acquired significant strategic value. Demolition of the tower was now out of the question. In 1906, a radio station was placed in the Eiffel Tower, and in 1957 a television antenna appeared on its top.

Description of the Eiffel Tower and the reasons for its design features

The lower floor of the structure is a pyramid. It is formed by four inclined supports. The first square (65 meters in diameter) platform of the tower rests on them. The supports are connected by arched tracery vaults. Above, on four supports, lies the second platform. The next four columns of the tower begin to intertwine and connect into a huge column. There is a third platform on it. Above it there is a lighthouse and a small platform a little more than a meter in diameter.

On the first site, as planned by the architect, there was a restaurant. On the second there was another restaurant and containers with machine oil for servicing elevators. The third site was given over to laboratories (astronomical and meteorological).

Eiffel was criticized at one time for the unusual shape of the tower. In fact, the brilliant engineer and architect understood perfectly well that for such a tall structure the main danger was strong wind. The design and shape of the tower are designed to withstand high wind loads.

Eiffel Tower: interesting things about the famous symbol of Paris

Adolf Hitler visited Paris during the occupation of France by German troops and expressed a desire to climb the Eiffel Tower. But right before his arrival, the elevator drive was seriously damaged, and it was not possible to repair it under military conditions. The German leader was never able to climb the tower. After the liberation of the French capital, the elevator began operating within a few hours.

The architect of the Eiffel Tower was very concerned about safety issues, since the work was carried out at a very high altitude. In the entire history of construction, not a single worker died - this is a real achievement for those years.

Unpleasant events are also associated with the Eiffel Tower - in 2009 it was awarded the third place in popularity among suicides.

In order to repaint the tower, it will take a year and a half of work and 60 tons of paint.

On a daily basis, the tower consumes as much electricity as a small village of one hundred houses.

The famous symbol of Paris has its own patented color - “Eiffel brown”. It is as close as possible to the real bronze shade of the structure’s structures.

There are more than 300 copies of the famous tower in the world. Several of them are located in Russia: in Moscow, Krasnoyarsk, Perm, Voronezh and Irkutsk.

Eiffel Tower in culture

The famous building has more than once become an object of interest for artists, poets, writers and directors.

The history of the Eiffel Tower is recorded in documentary sources, and its possible future has been shown more than once in apocalyptic films. One of the most interesting films is the documentary “The Future of the Planet: Life After People.” It shows that without maintenance, the Eiffel Tower will not be able to withstand its main enemies for long: rust and wind. In about 150-300 years, its upper part at the level of the third platform will collapse and fall.

But most often the Eiffel Tower can be seen on the canvases of artists. Jean Béraud, known for his genre works depicting everyday life in Paris, created the painting “Near the Eiffel Tower”, in which a Parisian woman gazes in amazement at the huge structure. Marc Chagall dedicated a lot of works to Eiffel's creations.

Conclusion

One of the most recognizable buildings in the world is the Eiffel Tower. France is rightfully proud of this amazing symbol of Paris. The view of the city from the top of the tower is magnificent.

You can admire it any day - brilliant creation Gustave Eiffel is open to visitors also on weekends.

The Eiffel Tower is not just a symbol of Paris or France. This is a world famous landmark. The structure, called by the author a “300-meter tower,” is today one of the must-see sites for tourists.

More than 7 million people visit the tower every year. It is undoubtedly the most famous man-made object in Paris. If you ask people who have never been to the French capital what they know about the city, most will confidently answer: “The Eiffel Tower is there.”

Eiffel Tower: monument to the hundredth anniversary of the French Revolution

Main symbol French capital Today it is considered the most popular "commercial" (that is, one that pays to visit) attraction in the world. But during design and construction, this structure not only received no attention, but was also an object of ridicule for the townspeople. The design did not fit into the architectural ensemble city, that its construction caused a wave of criticism.

Gustave Eiffel, by the way, is not the sole “father” of the tower. The World Exhibition of 1889, timed to coincide with the hundredth anniversary of the French Revolution, caused widespread excitement. On the Champ de Mars, in the center of Paris, the organizers decided to erect a monument in honor of a significant event in the history of the country. It was also supposed to serve as the entrance to the exhibition. A consulting and construction company owned by Eiffel, a famous bridge builder at the time, presented its own concept among others.

The author of the idea was an employee of the company with whom the owner of the engineering office had previously collaborated - Maurice Keshlen. Together they had worked several years earlier to create metal fittings for the equally famous Statue of Liberty in the United States. Keshlen's drawings were finalized by another hired architect, Emil Nurie (by the way, he also took part in the creation of the original sketch, developed back in 1884).

107 works took part in the competition announced by the government, many of which were worthy of attention. After Eiffel's design was approved as the winning design, architect Stéphane Sauvestre made a number of changes to ensure the design's "artistic value".

The initially presented version of the Eiffel Tower did not have much sophistication and represented a transfer of bridge building principles to the vertical plane. Before the design changes were made, the drawings showed a pyramidal column, the four supports of which, rising upward, were gradually united. Thanks to Sovestre, the tower received decorative elements, arches, glass halls, stone cladding of supports, etc.

The fate of a unique project

It is interesting that in the first half of the 19th century. metal construction was just beginning to gain popularity, winning the “field” from stone architecture. Durable cast iron, which appeared in the middle of the century, became one of the key stages in the transformation of construction. It is worth understanding that Eiffel, who chose this material, was also an entrepreneur, one of whose tasks was the intention to demonstrate the suitability of the material for large-scale work. Let us note that all participants in the competition had two goals set by the organizers: self-sufficiency of the project and the possibility of demolition after the end of the exhibition.

Eiffel was a very enterprising man, so he was able to competently assess the prospects of the project. As a result, having received a patent together with Keshlen and Nurie, he then bought all the rights to the design from them.

Looking ahead, let's say that they tried to make money on the Eiffel Tower in very original ways. For example, for nine whole years (until 1936) the building was used as a giant billboard: 125 thousand multi-colored light bulbs, flashing alternately, at Christmas 1925, formed an image of the building itself, star rain, zodiac signs and, finally, turned into the inscription “Citroën ”, which flared up regularly after sunset in subsequent years. The automaker's name was displayed on three sides of the tower.

From pillars to flagpole: the “birth” of the Eiffel Tower

It would seem that the construction of such a significant facility for an event that was planned to attract millions of guests from all over the world should have been financed by the government. But no, the Executive Committee of the Exhibition allocated only 25% of the required amount for the work. As a result, with a budget of 7.8 million francs, 2.5 million were personally invested by Eiffel. A significant portion of all funds were raised and loans.

Eiffel was not a man willing to make sacrifices to his own detriment. He entered into an agreement with representatives of state authorities and the capital municipality, according to which the building was given to him for an operating lease for 25 years. During this period, the architect received all income from the work of the Eiffel Tower.

The construction itself, which was quite complex for the end of the last century, was carried out at an accelerated pace. Thanks to the involvement of 300 workers, as well as an original solution for the preparation of structural parts, the work was completed on time. The construction of the Eiffel Tower was reminiscent of assembling a construction kit: rivets were prepared in advance, holes for them were drilled in the beams, and the beams themselves were of such a size that their weight did not exceed 3 tons. This made it possible to use mobile cranes that moved along the rails of future elevators. Of the 18 thousand parts, there was not a single one that had not been calculated in advance to the nearest millimeter. As a result, in two years and two months (and another five days), the construction was completed. Even today, this result looks impressive, given the scale: the metal elements of the Eiffel Tower alone weigh 7.3 thousand tons, and the weight of the entire structure reaches 10 thousand tons.

The first walk to the top of Eiffel's brainchild was made by Parisian officials. Among them, several of the most physically resilient were selected - the visit to the top was not easy, because they had to climb 1,710 steps.

Of course, such a test was not offered to ordinary citizens - an elevator had to take guests upstairs. The first lifting structure was very inconvenient: it worked thanks to hydraulic pumps. The pressure in them was created using two large containers of water. In winter they could not work, which created difficulties in getting to the upper tiers. Currently, electric motors for elevators are installed on the Eiffel Tower, but the old structures have also been preserved, and those interested can inspect them.

Eiffel Tower - construction
Eiffel Tower - After opening

Above are only the stars

The three-hundred-meter structure, built between January 26, 1887 and March 31, 1889, was considered the tallest building in the world until 1930. The author himself called his project “the tallest flagpole.” The total height of 300 m at that time was almost twice the “record” of the previous giant - the 169-meter Washington Monument. 31 years after the opening of the Iron Lady, the New York Chrysler Building rose 304 m, ahead of the French Lady. The status quo was restored in 1957, when a television antenna appeared on the top of the Eiffel Tower. The total height of the structure reached 320.75 m. But by that time, the Empire State Building, which had grown up in Manhattan, had already captured the championship. Meanwhile, the “growth” of the Eiffel Tower is still very impressive - it can be compared to an 81-story skyscraper.

It should be noted that from the first years of the tower’s existence, this height attracted extreme sports enthusiasts, some of whom paid with their lives for crazy stunts on one of the most recognizable landmarks in Europe. Already in 1912, Franz Reichelt, a tailor, died here when he tried to take off from the first floor using the “cloak parachute” he invented. And 14 years later, pilot Leon Collot died here when he tried to fly an airplane under the tier of the Eiffel Tower, but caught the antenna.

It is surprising that with its enormous height, the Eiffel Tower is almost unaffected by even the strongest winds. Thus, during the hurricane of 1999, a 12-centimeter tilt of the structure was recorded. This figure is actually an excellent indicator for such an original building. It shows the skill of the architect, who was able to ensure the mobility of the structure due to storms by no more than 15 cm. Achieving safety under wind loads was a very important point, since the world still remembered the collapse of the longest bridge at that time, Tay Bridge. This crossing, unable to withstand the gust of wind, fell along with the train on it. But we must not forget that Eiffel demonstrated with his tower the reliability and promise of metal frames for high-rise construction.

At the same time, it is very interesting that the sun has a much greater impact on the Eiffel Tower. The side of the structure facing the luminary expands from heating, which leads to a deviation of the top to the side by up to 18 cm.

The Eiffel Tower is a symbol of Paris, the main attraction of France

The first critics of the Eiffel Tower

Not everyone was inspired by the construction plans. Today we consider the Eiffel Tower one of the symbols of romance. A century ago, Parisians were very wary of an alien element in the ensemble of urban architecture. Even before the construction work began, 300 representatives of the French intelligentsia prepared a manifesto in which they expressed their outrage at the appearance of the “useless and monstrous” Eiffel Tower in the capital. Sculptors, architects and simply “passionate admirers of beauty” noted that Parisian art and the history of the city were under threat. The “pearl” of world urban planning, Paris, according to the authors of the manifesto, was supposed to lose its elegance. The “giant black factory chimney” was supposed to depress such dear to the heart residents of the capital's buildings, like Notre Dame and the Invalides Palace. The message was published in the newspaper Le Temps on St. Valentina.

The fact that the Eiffel Tower was still built, despite the protest, which was joined by eminent citizens of the French Republic, shows how high the authority of the author of the project was in the eyes of the authorities. And he turned out to be right - the result of the courageous work of hundreds of workers over the course of two years became known to almost the whole world within a few days.

Despite the comments of contemporaries who called the structure “the tallest lamppost,” “an iron monster,” and “the skeleton of a bell tower,” time has put everything in its place. Already in the first year of operation, the structure was visited by more than 2 million people. At the same time, construction costs were fully recouped within 10 months; in 1989 alone, tourists returned 2/3 of all costs. And today the Eiffel Tower is not inferior in popularity to tourists to the famous hill.

Practical significance of the Eiffel Tower

The design turned out to be so successful that literally from the first years it was used for various kinds of experiments. The Parisian government planned to receive its share of the benefits from the existence of the Eiffel Tower after its dismantling by dismantling the structure for scrap metal. But Eiffel himself saved his brainchild from possible destruction by suggesting that the city use the tallest building in the city as a radio antenna.

And even earlier, General Ferrier used the upper tier for his experiments with wireless telegraphy. By the way, it was here that one of the first telephone sessions in the country took place - between the Eiffel Tower and, in 1898. At the same time, Eiffel, who understood that he needed to find arguments in favor of the continued preservation of the building, financed experiments with wireless telegraphy with his own money. As a result, the ability to send and receive messages was highly appreciated by city officials. Understanding the importance of this method of communication, they extended the concession with the architect, although the contract expired in 1909.

Today, the Eiffel Tower serves not only as a place of pilgrimage for tourists, but also as a support for dozens of different antennas, including television ones. More than 100 of them provide reception and transmission of signals around the world. The antennas on the tower brought practical benefits to the armed forces. The French military used them to intercept enemy communications from Berlin during the First World War. It was thanks to them that the French were able to carry out a counter-offensive at the Battle of the Marne, when it became known that the Germans had stopped their advance in this direction.

In 1917, a coded message between Germany and France detailing the "Operative H-21" was intercepted from the Eiffel Tower. This message became one of the proofs of the guilt of Mata Hari, who was accused of spying for Germany and later executed.

Eiffel Tower - first level
Interior of Jules Verne restaurant
Eiffel Tower - elevator and stairs

Eiffel Tower: Historical facts

By the way, about Germany. Perhaps the only person who visited the Eiffel Tower and was unable to climb it was a “tourist” who did not experience any health problems. During the war, right before this guest’s visit, the elevator cable “accidentally” broke, so Adolf Hitler was never able to see Paris from a height of 300 meters. It was Hitler who wanted to end the existence of the structure: during the retreat of the German army, the Parisian military commandant was given the order to blow up this structure, like many other landmarks of Paris. Fortunately, he had enough prudence not to carry out the Fuhrer’s order.

The Eiffel Tower has long served as an object of scientific research. At the top of the structure, a laboratory was organized in which French scientists and the author of the tower himself conducted experiments and studied astronomy, meteorology, aerodynamics and physiology. In 1909, a wind tunnel was installed at the foot of the building, in which thousands of tests were carried out. Including the Wright brothers' planes and Porsche cars.

In memory of the French scientists and engineers, under the first balcony the names of the “List of 72” were engraved on the metal, which mainly included representatives of the exact sciences. By the way, a very loud scandal was associated with it on the part of representatives of feminist movements: among the names immortalized there is not a single woman. At the beginning of the 20th century. the names were painted over, but the Société Nouvelle d’exploitation de la Tour Eiffe company restored the inscriptions in 1986.

Eiffel Tower - evening illumination
Eiffel Tower - illuminated in the colors of the EU flag

Caring for the Iron Lady

Once every seven years, this gigantic structure undergoes painting. Over its history, it has been repainted in different colors. The first paint that was applied to the structure was reddish-brown. In subsequent decades, the Iron Lady was successively covered in yellow, tan and chestnut. For the last few decades, the tower has been painted in a specially developed and patented shade of “Eiffel Brown” - similar to the natural shade of bronze. This color was mixed in 1968 and has not changed its composition since then. During the painting of the Eiffel Tower, up to 60 tons of dyes are used, and the time required for their application is from 15 to 18 months.

Since the Eiffel Tower is open to tourists 365 days a year, it is not surprising that regular cleaning is carried out here: to clean all tiers of debris and traces of the presence of guests, 4 tons of cleaning cloths, 400 liters of detergent, 25 thousand garbage bags are required. All this is done to make visiting the main attraction of the French capital both interesting and pleasant. By the way, people with disabilities are also taken care of here. Thus, guests confined to a wheelchair can take the elevator to the second level. However, there are no restrictions on movement. Surprisingly, each of the elevators travels more than 100 thousand km per year. common path.

Today the Eiffel Tower belongs to the city, and is managed by a special company hired by the Paris City Hall. In 2010, a new antenna was installed on the top, and the height of the structure reached 324 meters.

Thousands of Eiffel Tower lanterns

When the tower was built, its lighting consisted of two floodlights at the top and 10 thousand gas lamps. In 2003, the lighting of the structure was once again modernized. Today, the Eiffel Tower is shrouded in almost 40 kilometers of wires that power 20 thousand lamps specially designed for the tower. The new lighting cost 4.6 million euros. The Eiffel Tower's illumination turns on at nightfall, and at the beginning of every hour, for three minutes, the tower sparkles with a stunning radiance - flashing silver lights. A lighthouse shines from the top of the tower, rotating around its axis and emitting two powerful light beams.

By the way, lighting is often used during festive or, on the contrary, tragic events. Then the illumination is completely turned off as a sign of solidarity with those affected by terrorist attacks, or the flag of the country in which the tragedy occurred is projected onto the structure.

What to see inside the Eiffel Tower?

On the first floor of the Eiffel Tower, which is relatively low above the ground (only 57 m), guests will experience the incredible sensation of walking on a glass floor. There is no need to be afraid, it is completely safe. But unforgettable experience guaranteed. There is a buffet, a modest museum with exhibits from the history of the Iron Lady, and a cinema showing a film about the tower. In a special store you can stock up on souvenirs, admire the view of Paris from the seating area and see part of the old staircase that once led to Eiffel’s office. On the ground floor there is also a restaurant - the famous “58 Tour Eiffel ».

The second floor is located at a level of 115 m above the ground. You can also climb it by elevator or stairs. Hikers should be prepared for 674 steps. Almost the same number of steps need to be climbed to climb to the 25th floor in standard high-rise buildings. There is also a restaurant, a buffet and a souvenir kiosk here. But the observation deck with panoramic windows deserves special attention. History buffs can visit the “historical window,” an exhibition that tells the story of the stages of construction of the Eiffel Tower, as well as the peculiarities of its elevators.
Access to the third floor is limited to guests only by a glass elevator (although there are stairs here too). Here, at an altitude of 300 m, there is a unique observation deck, second in height in Europe only to its “rival” in the Ostankino Tower. Since the floor area is very modest, only 250 sq.m., there are few objects on it: Eiffel’s office with a restored interior and wax figures, a bar, a model of the floor with a design from 1889 and panoramic maps. Using the latter, you can determine where other attractions are located relative to the Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower: Visit

When visiting the Eiffel Tower, it is worth considering its popularity among tourists. Waiting times in lines at the ticket office and then in the elevator can reach several hours. At the same time, you can get to the first floor on foot by climbing a staircase of 347 steps, which is good for your health and wallet - an elevator ticket will cost 1.5 times more.
Despite the fact that 500 employees (including staff of restaurants, museums, etc.) regularly monitor the comfort and convenience of visitors, a large number of those wishing to visit the attraction practically does not allow the queues to shorten.

On the official site tower, you can purchase tickets online in advance for the desired time and date. Tickets are available 90 days before the date of visit, but most often tickets sell out quickly several days before the planned visit they may not be available.

There are two restaurants in the Eiffel Tower "58 Tour Eiffel" " and "Jules Verne " When booking a table, you will ascend to the desired tier via a separate elevator, without queuing.

Lifehack
The most physically prepared visitors can try to save time in queues by climbing the stairs to the first tier of the tower. Usually the line at the ticket office to go up the stairs is much shorter than at the elevator ticket office. The ticket office and entrance to the staircase are located on the far right pillar of the tower when looking at it from the river.
Having climbed the stairs, already on the first level you can buy a ticket to go to the upper tier by elevator (the queues here may be shorter).

Eiffel Tower Opening hours and cost of visiting:

Opening hours:
In winter 9:00 - 23:00
In summer 9:00 - 00:00

Price:

From 3 to 17 euros depending on the floor and age of the visitor.
Check the price on the official website Eiffel Tower.

What is France like? And how much does the Eiffel Tower mean to the French? France is nothing without Paris, and Paris is nothing without the Eiffel Tower! Just as Paris is the heart of France, so the Eiffel Tower is the heart of Paris itself! It’s strange to imagine now, but there were times when they wanted to deprive this city of its heart.

The history of the Eiffel Tower

In 1886, preparations were in full swing in France for the World Exhibition, where it was planned to show the world the technical achievements of the French Republic over the past 100 years after the storming of the Bastille (1789) and 10 years since the proclamation of the Third Republic under the leadership of a president elected by the National meeting. There was an urgent need for a structure that could serve as an entrance arch to the exhibition and at the same time amaze with its originality. This arch should have remained in everyone’s memory as something embodying one of the symbols of the Great French Revolution - it was not for nothing that it was to stand on the square of the hated Bastille! It’s no big deal that the entrance arch was supposed to be demolished in 20-30 years, the main thing is to leave it in memory!

About 700 projects were considered: the best architects offered their services, including not only the French, but the commission gave preference to the project of bridge engineer Alexander Gustave Eiffel. There were rumors that he simply stole this project from some ancient Arab architect, but no one was able to confirm this. The truth was revealed only half a century after the openwork 300-meter Eiffel Tower, so reminiscent of the famous French Chantilly lace, had already firmly entered the consciousness of people as a symbol of Paris and France itself, immortalizing the name of its creator.

When the truth about the true creators of the Eiffel Tower project was revealed, it turned out to be not so scary at all. There was no Arab architect, but two engineers, Maurice Koechlen and Emile Nouguier, Eiffel employees, who developed this project based on the then new scientific and technological architectural direction - biomimetics or bionics. The essence of this (Biomimetics - English) direction is to borrow its valuable ideas from nature and transfer these ideas to architecture in the form of design and construction solutions and the use of these information technologies in the construction of buildings and bridges.

Nature often uses perforated structures to build light and strong skeletons of its “wards”. For example, for deep-sea fish or sea sponges, radiolarians (a simple organism) and starfish. What is striking is not only the variety of skeletal design solutions, but also the “material savings” in their construction, as well as the maximum strength of structures that can withstand the gigantic hydrostatic pressure of a huge mass of water.

It was this principle of rationality that young French design engineers used when creating a project for a new arched tower for the entrance to the French World Exhibition. The basis was the skeleton of a starfish. And this magnificent structure is an example of the use of the principles of the new science of biomimetics (bionics) in architecture.

The engineers working in collaboration with Gustav Eiffel did not submit their own project for two simple reasons:

1. New construction schemes at that time would have rather frightened off the commission members than attracted them with their unusualness.
2. The name of the bridge builder Alexander Gustov was known to France and enjoyed well-deserved respect, but the names of Nouguier and Koechlen “weighed” nothing. And the name of Eiffel could serve as the only key to realizing his bold plans.

So, the information that Alexander Gustov Eiffel used the project of an imaginary Arab or the project of his like-minded people “into the dark” turned out to be unnecessarily exaggerated.

Let us add that Eiffel not only took advantage of the project of his engineers, he personally made some amendments to the drawings, using his rich experience in bridge construction and special methods he himself developed, which made it possible to strengthen the structure of the tower and give it a special airiness.

These special methods were based on the scientific discovery of Swiss anatomy professor Hermann von Meyer, who, 40 years before the construction of the Eiffel Tower began, documented an interesting discovery: the head of the human femur is covered with a fine network of tiny mini-bones that miraculously distribute the load on the bone. Thanks to this redistribution, the human femur does not break under the weight of the body and can withstand enormous loads, although it enters the joint at an angle. And this network has a strictly geometric structure.

In 1866, the architect-engineer from Switzerland Karl Kuhlmann brought the discovery of the professor of anatomy to the scientific technical basis that Gustav Eiffel used in the construction of bridges - load distribution using curved supports. He later used the same method to build such a complex structure as a three-hundred-meter tower.

So, this tower is truly a miracle of thought and technology of the 19th century in all respects!

Who built the Eiffel Tower

So, at the very beginning of 1886, the municipality of Paris of the Third French Republic and Alexander Gustav Eiffel signed an agreement in which the points were stated:

1. Within 2 years and 6 months, Eiffel was obliged to erect an arch tower opposite the Jena River Bridge. The Seine on the Champ de Mars according to the drawings he himself proposed.
2. Eiffel will provide the tower for personal use upon completion of construction for a period of 25 years.
3. Provide Eiffel with a cash subsidy for the construction of the tower from the city budget in the amount of 1.5 million francs in gold, which will amount to 25% of the final construction budget of 7.8 million francs.

For 2 years, 2 months and 5 days, 300 workers, as they say, “without absenteeism and weekends,” worked hard so that on March 31, 1889 (less than 26 months after the start of construction) could the grand opening of the greatest building, which later became a symbol of the new France, will take place.

Such advanced construction was facilitated not only by extremely clear and clear drawings, but also by the use of Ural iron. In the 18th and 19th centuries, all of Europe knew the word “Ekaterinburg” thanks to this metal. The construction of the tower did not use steel (carbon content no more than 2%), but a special alloy of iron, specially smelted in the Ural furnaces for the “Iron Lady”. “The Iron Lady” was another name for the entrance arch before it was called the Eiffel Tower.

However, iron alloys corrode easily, so the tower was painted bronze with a specially formulated paint that required 60 tons. Since then, every 7 years the Eiffel Tower is treated and painted with the same “bronze” composition and every 7 years 60 tons of paint are spent on this. The tower frame itself weighs about 7.3 tons, but the total weight, including the concrete base, is 10,100 tons! The number of steps was also calculated - 1 thousand 710 pieces.

Design of the arch and park-garden

The lower ground part is made in the form of a truncated pyramid with a side length of 129.2 m, with column-corners going up and forming, as intended, a high (57.63 m) arch. On this vaulted “ceiling” is fixed the first square platform, where the length of each side is almost 46 m. ​​On this platform, like on an aerial board, several halls of a huge restaurant with huge display windows were built, from where a magnificent view of all 4 sides of Paris opened. Even then, the view from the tower of the Seine embankment with the Pont de Jena bridge evoked complete admiration. But there was no dense green area - a park on the Champ de Mars, with an area of ​​more than 21 hectares.

The idea to redevelop the former Royal Military School parade ground into a public park came to the mind of the architect and gardener Jean Camille Formiget only in 1908. It took a whole 20 years to bring all these plans to life! Unlike the rigid framework of the drawings according to which the Eiffel Tower was built, the plan of the park has changed countless times.

The park, originally planned in a strict English style, grew somewhat during its construction (24 hectares), and, having absorbed the spirit of free France, democratically “settled” between the geometrically slender rows of tall, strict trees and clearly defined alleys, many flowering shrubs and “ village" reservoirs, in addition to classic English fountains.

The main stage of construction was not the installation of the “metal lace” itself, for which about 3 million steel rivets and ties were used, but the guaranteed stability of the base and maintaining the absolutely ideal horizontal level of the building on a square of 1.6 hectares. It took only 8 months to fasten the openwork trunks of the tower and give it a rounded shape, and a year and a half to lay a reliable foundation.

Judging by the description of the project, the foundation rests on a depth of more than 5 meters below the level of the Seine bed, 100 stone blocks 10 m thick are laid in the foundation pit, and 16 powerful supports are already built into these blocks, which form the backbone of the 4 tower “legs” on which the Eiffel Tower stands. Additionally, a hydraulic device is built into each “leg” of the “lady”, which allows the “madam” to maintain balance and horizontality. The carrying capacity of each device is 800 tons.

When installing the lower tier, an addition was introduced into the project - 4 elevators that rise to the second platform. Later, another one - the fifth elevator - began to function from the second to the third platform. The fifth elevator appeared after the tower was electrified at the beginning of the 20th century. Up to this point, all 4 elevators operated on hydraulic traction.

Interesting information about elevators

When the troops of Nazi Germany occupied France, the Germans were unable to hang their spider flag at the top of the tower - for unknown reasons, all the elevators were suddenly inoperative. And they remained in this state for the next 4 years. The swastika was only secured at the level of the second floor, where the steps reached. The French Resistance bitterly stated: “Hitler managed to conquer the country of France, but he never managed to hit it in the very heart!”

What else is worth knowing about the tower?

We must honestly admit that the Eiffel Tower did not immediately become the “heart of Paris.” At the beginning of construction, and even after during the opening (March 31, 1889), the tower, illuminated with lights (10,000 gas lamps with the colors of the French flag), and a pair of powerful mirror spotlights, which made it noble and monumental, was a lot of people , rejecting the unusual beauty of the Eiffel Tower.

In particular, such celebrities as Victor Hugo and Paul Marie Verlaine, Arthur Rimbaud and Guy de Maupassant even contacted the Paris mayor's office with an angry demand to erase from the face of the Parisian soil "the disgusting shadow of the hated building of iron and screws, which will stretch over the city like an ink blot, disfiguring the bright streets of Paris with its disgusting structure!”

An interesting fact: his own signature on this appeal, however, did not prevent Maupassant from being a frequent guest of the glass gallery restaurant on the second floor of the tower. Maupassant himself grumbled that this was the only place in the city from where one could not see the “monster in nuts” and the “skeleton made of screws.” But the great novelist was cunning, oh, the great novelist was cunning!

In fact, being a famous gourmet, Maupassant could not deny himself the pleasure of trying oysters baked and chilled on ice, delicate aromatic soft cheese with cumin, steamed young asparagus with a thin slice of dried veal and not washing down all this “excess” with a glass of light grape wine.

The cuisine of the Eiffel Tower restaurant to this day remains unrivaledly rich in real French dishes, and the fact that the famous literary master dined there is the restaurant’s calling card.

On the same second floor there are tanks with machine oil for hydraulic machines. On the third floor there was enough space on a square platform for an astronomical and meteorological observatory. And the last tiny platform, only 1.4 m in diameter, serves as a support for the lighthouse, which shines from a height of 300 m.

The total height in meters of the Eiffel Tower at that time was about 312 m, and the light of the lighthouse was visible at a distance of 10 km. After replacing the gas lamps with electric ones, the lighthouse began to “beat” for as much as 70 km!

Whether connoisseurs of fine French art liked or did not like this “lady,” for Gustav Eiffel her unexpected and daring form completely paid for all the architect’s efforts and expenses in less than a year. In just 6 months of the World Exhibition, the unusual brainchild of the bridge builder was visited by 2 million curious people, the flow of which did not dry up even after the closure of the exhibition complexes.

It later turned out that all the miscalculations of Gustav and his engineers were more than justified: the tower weighing 8,600 tons, made of 12,000 scattered metal parts, not only did not move when its pylons sank almost 1 m under water during the flood of 1910. But and in the same year it was found out practically that it would not move even if there were 12,000 people on its 3 floors at the same time.

• In 1910, after this flood, it would have been truly blasphemous to destroy the Eiffel Tower, which sheltered so many disadvantaged people. The period was extended first by 70 years, and then, after a full examination of the health of the Eiffel Tower, to 100.
• In 1921, the tower began to serve as a source of radio broadcasting, and since 1935 – also of television broadcasting.
• In 1957, the already high tower was increased by 12 m with a telemast and its total “height” was 323 m 30 cm.
• For a long time, until 1931, the “iron lace” of France was the tallest structure in the world, and only the construction of the Chrysler Building in New York broke this record.
• In 1986, the external lighting of this architectural marvel was replaced by a system that illuminates the tower from the inside, making the Eiffel Tower not just dazzling, but truly magical, especially on holidays and at night.

Every year, the symbol of France, the heart of Paris welcomes 6 million guests. Photos taken on her 3rd observation platforms– a good memory for any tourist. Even a photo next to it is already a source of pride; it’s not for nothing that there are small copies of it in many countries around the world.

The most interesting mini-tower of Gustav Eiffel is perhaps located in Belarus, in the village of Paris, Vitebsk region. This tower is only 30 m high, but it is unique in that it is made entirely of wooden blocks.

Russia also has its own Eiffel Tower. There are three of them:

1. Irkutsk Height – 13 m.
2. Krasnoyarsk Height – 16 m.
3. Village of Paris, Chelyabinsk region. Height – 50 m. It belongs to a cellular operator and is a real working cellular tower in the region.

But the best thing is to take a tourist visa, see Paris and... No, don’t die! And to freeze with delight and photograph the views of Paris from the Eiffel Tower itself, fortunately, on a clear day the city is visible for 140 km. From the heart of Paris - just a stone's throw - 25 minutes. on foot.

Tourist Information

Address – Champ de Mars, territory of the former Bastille.

The Iron Lady's opening hours are always the same: daily, from mid-June to the end of August, opening at 9:00, closing at 00:00. In winter, opening at 9:30, closing at 23:00.

The only thing that can prevent the Iron Lady from receiving new guests is a strike of 350 service personnel, but this has never happened before!