The most talented, thoughtful and successful provocation in architecture - I can’t describe this iron lady in any other way. No, after all, she is not a madam, but a mademoiselle, graceful and slender. In short, the Eiffel Tower - la tour Eiffel!

We are with you in Paris. And, having visited, strolled along, studied the sculptures and commemorative inscriptions on Charles de Gaulle Square, slowly walked along the aristocratic Kleber Avenue to Trocadero Square. A very leisurely walk took only half an hour. And here it is, the Eiffel Tower. “Bergère ô tour Eiffel,” wrote the great French poet Guillaume Apollinaire at the beginning of the 20th century. - "Shepherdess, O Eiffel Tower!"

How to get to the Eiffel Tower

For us, traveling around the capital of France, the Eiffel Tower is located very conveniently. Firstly, as you know, it is visible from everywhere, and secondly, not only ground and underground, but also waterways lead to it and from it. After all, she stands on the banks of the Seine.

Nearby are bus routes No. 82 - stop "Eiffel Tower" ("Tour Efel" - "Tour Eiffel") or "Champs de Mars" ("Champs de Mars"), No. 42 - stop "Eiffel Tower" , No. 87 - stop "Marsovo Pole" and No. 69 - also "Marsovo Pole".

River trams - bato-mouches (bateaux-mouches) - are moored right at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and on the other side of the Seine, near the Alma Bridge. Therefore, after you return from heaven (that is, from the tower) to earth, you can continue your acquaintance with Paris on the open deck of a fly boat that cuts through the waters of the Seine.

There are several metro stations near the big shepherd: Passy, ​​Champs de Mars - Tour Eiffel, Bir-Hakeim, which is named in honor of the battle of the French with the troops of Hitler's General Rommel in May-June 1942 in Libya. However, I highly recommend that you get to the Trocadéro station - it is in the picture above. From here is not the shortest, but the most beautiful walking path to the Eiffel Tower.

A bit of Trocadero

Arriving for the first time in Paris, I did not see any sights on the first day. But it was here, on Trocadero Square, when I stepped out onto the wide esplanade that tore apart the giant horseshoe of the Chaillot Palace, I realized: I really am in Paris! Because in all its glory and in full growth, the main symbol of the Parisian capital opened before me - the Eiffel Tower in light lace from an iron head to stone heels.

Then it seemed to me that I came up with an original angle for photography: you need to lean slightly to the side, put your hand in the same direction, and if the photographer combines you with the tower, then the picture will turn out as if you are leaning on it (the tower). And you and her are almost the same height. Oh, how many such pictures have come across to me over the years since my "discovery"! ..

Take a bunch of photos, admire the stunning view of another architectural axis of Paris: Trocadero - Jena Bridge - Eiffel Tower - Champ de Mars - Military Academy - Place Fontenoy - Sax Avenue (not in honor of the inventor of the saxophone, but in memory of Marshal Moritz of Saxony). And another tower closes this axis - Montparnasse, younger than the Eiffel one... Take your time, especially if you come here, to the esplanade, in the evening. It is especially beautiful here at sunset.

In the meantime, you can look into the Cinema Museum, the Naval Museum and the Museum of Man located in the Palace of Chaillot, and if you go a little down from the palace and take a little to the left, you will find the "Aquarium of Paris" - they say, as if with all the inhabitants of the French rivers and even with mermaids!

Well, now let's appreciate the Trocadero Park, which stretches right in front of us, with its largest fountain in Paris: among the gilded statues, tons of water escape from dozens of cascaded water cannons.

In the heat of the summer, I advise you to lie down on the emerald lawn by the fountain and refresh yourself with cool mist before throwing yourself across the Jena bridge to the Eiffel Tower.

History of the Eiffel Tower. world gate

In the meantime, we are refreshing ourselves by the fountain, let's remember where the Eiffel Tower came from.

At the end of the 19th century, a fashion appeared on our planet to hold world exhibitions and show them everything that your country invented the new and preserved the good old. In 1889, the honor of holding such an exhibition fell to France. In addition, the occasion was appropriate - the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. How to surprise guests? The Paris City Hall decided to decorate the entrance to the exhibition with an unusual arch. A competition among French engineers was announced, in which Gustave Eiffel also took part. Here he is in the picture.

To be honest, Eiffel himself had no ideas about decorating the exhibition gates. But talented employees worked in the engineering bureau he headed. For example, Maurice Koechlin, who had a drawing of a high-rise tower lying around. It was taken, as they say, as a basis. Calling on the help of another colleague, Emile Nouguier (Émile Nouguier), polished the project to a shine. And they won the competition, eclipsing more than a hundred competitors! Among them is the one who proposed to build the gates of the exhibition in the form of a giant guillotine. And what is wrong? Anniversary of the Revolution!

True, the city authorities wanted something more elegant than just a metal structure, even if it was very high-tech. And then Eiffel turned to the architect Stephen Sauvestre. He added architectural excesses to the tower project, which made it irresistible: arches, a rounded top, stone-trimmed supports ... In January 1887, the Paris City Hall and the Eiffel shook hands, and construction began.

It went on at an incredible pace even by today's times - in two years and two months the tower was ready. Moreover, it was assembled from 18,038 parts with the help of 2.5 million rivets, only 300 workers. It's all about the precise organization of labor: Eiffel made the most accurate drawings and ordered the main parts of the tower to be prepared for installation on the ground. Moreover, with drilled holes and for the most part rivets already inserted into them. And there, in the skies, high-altitude assemblers had only to dock the details of this giant constructor.

The World Exhibition in Paris worked for six months. During this time, 2 million people came to look at the tower and from it to the city. Despite the protests of 300 representatives of the cultural community (including Maupassant, Dumas son, Charles Gounod), who believed that the tower was disfiguring Paris, by the end of 1889, the year the tower was born, they managed to “recapture” 75 percent of the costs of its construction. Taking into account the fact that Eiffel received another 25 percent from the city treasury already at the conclusion of the contract, the successful engineer was able to immediately move on to making money with the help of his iron brainchild. Indeed, under the same agreement with the city hall, the tower was leased to Gustave Eiffel for a quarter of a century! It is not surprising that he soon bought from his fellow co-authors all the rights to their seemingly common idea and was even able to afford to equip an apartment on its last, third floor.

In this dwelling in seventh heaven, the Eiffel hosted the famous American inventor Thomas Edison in 1899. They say that their meeting - with coffee, cognac and cigars - lasted ten hours. But I saw with my own eyes: they are sitting there, at the very top of the tower, until now! And the maid on the sidelines froze in anticipation: what else do the gentlemen of the engineers want? But the engineers also froze in their age-old conversation. Are they waxy?

Check it out for sure! It's time to start climbing.

Now up

The tower does not know holidays and weekends, it is open to visitors every day in winter from 9.30 to 23.00, and in summer from 9.00 to 24.00.

I will warn you right away: the queue for tickets to the Eiffel Tower can be long: two or three hours (look at the photo).

It is best to come here in the evening, when the tower is beautiful not only with the pre-sunset views from it, but also with a certain decline in the tourist flow, washing all four of its pillars. By the way, they also have cash registers. After 20.00, you can spend only an hour and a half in line, or even an hour.

There is an option to order tickets online. Although on the Eiffel Tower website, tickets are usually sold out a month in advance. But then you do not have to waste precious Parisian time under the iron hem of the shepherdess of the clouds reflected in the Seine. True, you will have to pay her a visit exactly at the time indicated on the ticket. This is not an exaggeration: if you are late, they will not let you into any floor and your ticket will be cancelled.

Tickets cost the same at the box office and on the website. I ask you very much: do not buy tickets with your hands. Never and none! And in general, do not buy anything in Paris with your hands. Just roasted chestnuts.

Know and remember:

• climb on the elevator to 3rd floor The Eiffel Tower, to the very top, costs 17 euros for an adult, 14.5 euros for teenagers and youth from 12 to 24 years old, 8 euros for children from 4 to 11 years old;
• lift to the 2nd floor: adults - 11 euros, teenagers and youth from 12 to 24 years old - 8.5 euros, children from 4 to 11 years old - 4 euros;
• stairs to 2nd floor: adults - 7 euros, teenagers and youth from 12 to 24 years old - 5 euros, children from 4 to 11 years old - 3 euros. Keep in mind: when climbing stairs, you will have to climb 1674 steps. Kicks!

Prices for group visits are exactly the same, only 20 people are entitled to a free guide.

To get to the very, very top, tell the usher the word "sommet" (some), that is, "top". And if the third floor is not closed for repairs, you will go there without delay on the second floor, where you would have to buy a ticket again - now at the mark of "276 meters".

Go!

Having stood in line or having reached the deadline for your e-ticket, you enter the elevator. It will be one of two historic elevators installed in 1899 by Fives-Lill. He will take you to the second floor. And from there you will go higher on a more modern (1983) Otis elevator.

What, it would seem, can be seen on the Eiffel Tower? Not from her, but on her. Believe me, you should look not only from top to bottom, but also from side to side.

First floor of the Eiffel Tower

The Gustave Eiffel Salon was recently renovated here, and now it can accommodate from 200 participants of any conference to 300 buffet guests. Do you want to sit down? The hall accommodates 130 guests for dinner. For a private lunch (from 50 euros) or dinner (from 140 euros), you can book a table at the 58 tour Eiffel restaurant. The number in the name is not without reason - at such a height (in meters) is the institution. Its charm is also that the cost of your rise on a separate (!) Elevator is already included in the restaurant bill.

Here, on the first floor, a transparent floor appeared in 2013, so look ... Look, no matter how dizzy you are! Here you will be shown the performance “About the Universe of the Eiffel Tower” projected onto three walls by seven spotlights. Nearby there is a recreation area where you can sit down, there are shops where you can buy souvenirs. At exorbitant prices, but on the Eiffel Tower itself. And also, they say, in the winter, a skating rink is poured on the ground floor!

Second floor of the Eiffel Tower

Here, in addition to a wonderful overview of Paris, you will be offered to dine or dine at the Jules Verne restaurant (the entrance to the elevator that will take you personally to it is in the picture). The great science fiction writer and inventor, who predicted many inventions that are now familiar, is immortalized by a catering point at a height of 115 meters. The prices here, however, are also fantastic: two times higher than the floor below. Expensive? Both on the first and second floors there are buffets with "homemade sandwiches", pastries and drinks - hot and cold.

Third floor of the Eiffel Tower

And finally, the third floor will offer you to celebrate the ascent to the highest point in Paris with a glass of champagne at an exorbitant price - from 12 to 21 euros per 100 grams. In addition, you can see Eiffel’s apartment through the glass (where he is still talking with Edison), look closely at the antennas that dotted the head of the iron shepherdess, and make sure that it was from here that the first radio broadcast went on the air in 1921, and in 1935 - television signal.

Another personal tip: we decided to climb the third floor of the Eiffel Tower - take warm clothes with you, even if the streets of Paris are extremely hot. At almost 300 meters high, a piercing cold wind blows. And the tower bends and creaks. Just kidding, it doesn't creak. It bends, but deviates only 15-20 centimeters at the highest point - at a height of 324 meters.

* * *

Here's what's surprising: the Mayor's Office of Paris signed an agreement with Gustave Eiffel for 20 years, and after that the tower was ordered to be dismantled. Where there! Who would allow! Everyone got used to it, fell in love with it... In 1910, Eiffel extended the lease agreement for the tower for another 70 years.

The controversy surrounding the Parisian shepherdess has long subsided, in 1923 its creator died, but she still stands and does not rust. Because it is repainted every few years, spending up to 60 tons of paint in a special “brown-eiffel” color scheme. And already a long time ago no one can imagine Paris without this windy mademoiselle.

As we flew up to the heavens and descended from the clouds to the earth, night fell. This means that we are waiting for you.

Construction eiffel tower, which later became a symbol of Paris, was completed in 1889, it was originally conceived as a temporary structure that served as the entrance arch of the Paris World Exhibition of 1889.

The exhibition was held in Paris and was dedicated to the centenary of the French Revolution. The Paris city administration approached famous French engineers with an offer to take part in an architectural competition. At such a competition, it was necessary to find a building that visibly demonstrates the engineering and technological achievements of the country.

Sasha Mitrahovich 19.01.2016 13:02

1886 Three years later, the World Industrial Exhibition EXPO will begin its work in Paris. The exhibition organizers announced a competition for a temporary architectural structure that would serve as an entrance to the exhibition and personify the technical revolution of its time, the beginning of grandiose transformations in the life of mankind. The proposed building was supposed to generate income and be easily dismantled.

On May 1, 1886, a competition of architectural and engineering projects for the future World Exhibition was opened in France, in which 107 applicants took part. Various extravagant ideas were under consideration, among them, for example, a giant guillotine, which was supposed to be reminiscent of the French Revolution of 1789.

Among the participants of the competition was the engineer and designer Gustave Eiffel, who proposed a project that had never been seen before in world construction - a 300-meter metal tower - the tallest building in the world. He got the very idea of ​​the tower from the drawings of his company's employees Maurice Koehlen and Emile Nougier. Gustave Eiffel receives a joint patent for the project with them, and subsequently redeems from them the exclusive right to the future Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel project becomes one of the 4 winners and then the engineer makes final changes to it, finding a compromise between the original purely engineering design scheme and the decorative version. Thanks to the changes made by the engineer to the decorative design of the tower, the organizers of the competition gave preference to his "Iron Lady".

In the end, the committee stops at the Eiffel plan, although the very idea of ​​​​the tower did not belong to him, but to two of his employees: Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nougier. It was possible to assemble such a complex structure as a tower within two years only because Eiffel applied special construction methods. This explains the decision of the exhibition committee in favor of this project.

In order for the tower to better meet the aesthetic tastes of the demanding Parisian public, the architect Stéphane Sauvestres proposed sheathing the basement supports of the tower with stone, linking its supports and the ground floor platform with the help of majestic arches, which would simultaneously become the main entrance to the exhibition, placing spacious glazed halls, give the top of the tower a rounded shape and use a variety of decorative elements to decorate it.

In January 1887, the Eiffel, the state and the municipality of Paris signed an agreement, according to which Eiffel was granted for personal use the operational lease of the tower for a period of 25 years, and also provided for the payment of a cash subsidy in the amount of 1.5 million gold francs, which amounted to 25% of all expenses for tower construction. On December 31, 1888, in order to raise the missing funds, a joint-stock company was created with an authorized fund of 5 million francs. Half of this amount is funds deposited by three banks, the other half is Eiffel's personal funds.

The final construction budget amounted to 7.8 million francs.

• Eiffel Tower- This is the emblem of Paris and a high-altitude antenna.
• At the same time, 10,000 people can be on the tower.
• The project was made by the architect Stephan Sauvestre, but the engineer Gustave Eiffel (1823-1923), better known to the public, built the tower. Other works by Eiffel: Ponte de Dona Maria Pia, viaduct de Garabi, iron frame for New York's Statue of Liberty.
• Since its inception, the tower has been visited by about 250 million people.
• The mass of the metal part of the structure is 7,300 tons, and the entire tower is 10,100 tons.
• In 1925, the rogue Victor Lustig managed to sell the iron structure for scrap, and he was able to pull off this trick twice!
• In good weather, from the top of the tower, Paris and its surroundings can be viewed within a radius of up to 70 kilometers. It is believed that the best time to visit the Eiffel Tower, providing the best visibility, is an hour before sunset.
• The tower also holds a sad record - about 400 people committed suicide by throwing themselves down from its upper platform. In 2009, the terrace was fenced with protective barriers and now this place is very popular with romantic couples kissing in front of all of Paris.

Sasha Mitrahovich 19.01.2016 13:32

One of the most talented swindlers of the 20th century was Count Victor Lustig (1890-1947). This man spoke five languages, received an excellent upbringing. He was bold and fearless. 45 of his pseudonyms are known, and only in the USA he was arrested 50 times.

"As long as there are fools in the world, Deception to live with us, therefore, from the hand."

There are a great many smart scammers who use not too smart fellow citizens for their own purposes. But in order for your name to be included not only in criminal chronicles, but also in legends, you must truly have extraordinary abilities. One of these scammers is Viktor Lustig.

Among his exploits are both minor sins and grandiose scams. A young man from a poor Czech family presented himself as a ruined Austrian count. And so skillfully adhered to this role - that no one had any doubts about his title. Fluency in five languages, knowledge of all the intricacies of secular and business etiquette, the ability to freely stay in society - these are the qualities thanks to which he was his own both in high society and in a gangster environment. However, in addition to his native "count" surname, the swindler used several dozen more pseudonyms for his activities. Under them, Victor went on various cruises and arranged various drawings and lotteries on board the ships from those that we habitually call “scams” ​​today.

Fair game, or scam with Al Capone

One of the legends associated with the name of Lustig was the story of his "collaboration" with Al Capone. One day, in 1926, a tall, well-dressed young man visited a famous gangster of the time. The man introduced himself as Count Victor Lustig. He asked for $50,000 to double that amount.

The gangster was not at all sorry to invest such an insignificant amount in a dubious enterprise, and he gave them to the count. The deadline for the implementation of the plan is 2 months. Lustig took the money, put it in a bank vault in Chicago, and then went to New York. Lustig made no attempt to double the amount left in Chicago.

Two months later, he returned, took the money from the bank and went to the gangster. There he apologized, said that the plan did not work and gave the money back. To which the gangster replied, “I expected $100,000 or nothing. But… get my money back… Yes, you are an honest man! If you're in trouble, just take this." He gave the count $5,000. But these 5 thousand were the target of Lustig's scam!

Scrap metal, or how the Eiffel Tower was sold

But what is a "bonus" of five thousand? And the amounts that Victor helped out as a result of lotteries, fraud with banks and not too fair poker games seemed to him miserable. The soul demanded scope. That the fraud was grandiose. Well, the proceeds, of course, should not lag behind either.

Lustig was hungry for action and the right opportunity was not long in coming. In May 1925, Victor Lustig and his friend and companion Dan Collins arrived in Paris. On the first day of their arrival, their attention was drawn to an article in the local newspaper. It talked about the fact that the famous one is in a terrible state and the city authorities are considering the option of dismantling it.

The idea of ​​a brilliant scam was born instantly. For its implementation, a luxurious room was rented in an expensive hotel and documents were made stating that Viktor Lustig was the deputy head of the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs. Then invitations were sent out to the five largest metal traders. The letters contained an invitation to an important and top-secret meeting with the deputy general director of the department at the Crillon Hotel, at the time the most prestigious hotel in Paris.

After meeting the guests in luxurious apartments, Lustig began to make a lengthy speech about the content eiffel tower costs the state a lot of money. That it was built as a temporary structure for the World Exhibition in Paris, and now, after 30 years, is so dilapidated that it simply poses a threat to Paris and the city authorities are considering demolishing the tower. Therefore, a kind of tender for the purchase of the tower was announced among those present.

Such a proposal could not fail to arouse the interest of those invited, but Andre Poisson was especially interested in it. He was inspired not only by the obvious financial benefits of the deal, but also by the opportunity to make history. Maybe it was this conceited interest that was noticed by Lustig and it was he who became the reason that after some time it was Monsieur Poisson who was assigned a confidential meeting.

During this meeting, Victor Lustig was somewhat restless. He told Poisson that he had every chance of winning the tender, and for a complete victory, he only needed to "advance" his candidacy a little with the help of a small reward personally to Victor. Prior to this meeting, Monsieur Poisson had suspicions: why all meetings related to the tender take place in such a secret setting, and not even in the offices of the ministry, but in a hotel room. But such extortion on the part of the official, oddly enough, dispelled Poisson's last doubts about the suspicious transaction. He counted out several large bills and persuaded Lustig to take them, then wrote a check for a quarter of a million francs, received documents for the Eiffel Tower and left satisfied. When Monsieur Poisson began to suspect something was wrong, Victor Lustig had already fled to Vienna with a suitcase of cash received on the check he had drawn.

Even despite the fact that Victor Lustig fell into the hands of the police more than fifty times - he always managed to get away with it. The police had to let the talented swindler go, because they simply did not have enough evidence to prove his guilt. Victor Lustig was not only a talented swindler, but also a good psychologist. Most of the victims he deceived did not go to the police, not wanting to look like fools in the eyes of the public. Even Monsieur Poisson, who "bought" the Eiffel Tower for a substantial amount, was more likely to part with his money than to become the laughingstock of all Paris and lose his reputation as a shrewd businessman.

The story of the Eiffel Tower became Lustig's swan song. Some time after the deal with Poisson, he returned to Paris and decided to sell the tower again to one of the bidders. But the deceived businessman quickly saw through the swindler and reported to the police. Lustig managed to escape the French police for the United States. But there he was caught and put on trial. American justice has also accumulated a lot of claims against the talented swindler. In December 1935, the count was arrested. He received 15 years in prison for counterfeiting dollars, as well as 5 years for escaping from another prison just a month ago. He was transferred to the famous Alcatraz prison island near San Francisco, where he died of pneumonia in March 1947.

Sasha Mitrahovich 19.01.2016 14:08

Whether you're the lucky one who has visited Paris, or just dreaming of getting there, chances are you're aware of the French capital's most beloved attraction, the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower (La Tour Eiffel in French) was the main exhibit of the Paris and World Exhibition in 1889. It was built to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution, and was supposed to demonstrate the industrial prowess of France throughout the world.

The French engineer Gustave Eiffel, which bears his name, is usually credited with designing the tower. In fact, these are two lesser-known people - Maurice Koechlin and Emil Nougier, who came up with the original drawings for the monument.

They were chief engineers for the Compagnie de Etablissements Eiffel, the engineering firm of Gustave Eiffel. Together with Gustave and French architect Stephen Sauvestri, the engineers submitted their plan to a competition that was to be the centerpiece of the 1889 Paris fair.

The design was won by the Eiffel company, and construction began on the tower in July 1887. But not everyone was happy with the idea of ​​a giant metal monument that was supposed to be in the center of the city. When the construction of the tower began on , a group of three hundred artists, sculptors, writers and architects sent an appeal to the head of the Paris Exhibition, begging him to stop the construction of the "unnecessary tower" that would "stand over Paris" like a "great black chimney". But the protests of the Paris community were not heard. The construction of the tower was completed in just two years, on March 31, 1889.

Construction process of the Eiffel Tower

Each of the 18,000 pieces used to build the tower was calculated specifically for this project and prepared at the Eiffel factory on the outskirts of Paris. The structure consists of four huge wrought iron arches set on stone pillars.

It took 2.5 million assembled rivets and 7,500 tons of iron to build the tower. To protect the tower from the elements, workers painted every inch, a feat that required 65 tons of paint. Since then, the tower has been repainted 18 times.

Facts you didn't know about the Eiffel Tower:

– Gustave Eiffel used wrought iron gratings to build the tower. To demonstrate that metal can be as strong as stone but lighter.

- Gustave Eiffel also created the inner frame for the Statue of Liberty.

– The total amount from the construction of the Eiffel Tower was 7,799,502.41 French gold francs in 1889.

- The Eiffel Tower is 1,063 feet (324 meters) long, including the antennas at the top. Without antenna, it is 984 feet (300 m).

– At that time, it was the tallest structure until the Chrysler Building in New York was built in 1930.

– The tower sways slightly in the wind, but the sun affects the tower more. As which side of the tower heats up in the sun, the top passages can change by 7 inches (18 centimeters).

- The weight of the tower is about 10,000 tons.

– There are about 5 billion lights on the Eiffel Tower.

- The French came up with a nickname for their tower - La Dame de Fer, (Iron Lady).

– One tower elevator travels a total distance of 64,001 miles (103,000 km) per year.

Tower use

When the Compagnie Des Etablissements Eiffel won the tender to start building the Champ de Mars tower, it was understood that the structure was temporary and would be removed after 20 years. But Gustave Eiffel was not interested in seeing his beloved project dismantled after a couple of decades, and so he set about making the tower an indispensable tool for society.

A few days after its opening, Eiffel installed a meteorological laboratory on the third floor of the tower. He suggested using the laboratory to scientists for their research on the whole gravity of electricity. Ultimately, it was a huge tower, not a laboratory that saved it from extinction.

In 1910, Paris accepted the Eiffel concession, due to the self-interest of this structure, as a wireless telegraph transmission. The French military used the tower to communicate in the Atlantic Ocean and intercept enemy data during the First World War. To date, the tower includes over 120 antennas, both radio and television signals throughout the capital and beyond.

Tower today

The Eiffel Tower is still the main element of the cityscape of the city. More than 8 million tourists visit this iconic building every year. Since its opening in 1889, 260 million citizens from all over the world, when they were in Paris, went to look at this architectural marvel.

She has something to offer you. The tower's three platforms are home to two restaurants, several buffets, a banquet hall, a champagne bar and many gift shops. Guided tours are available for children and tourist groups.

The tower is open to the public all year round. From June to September - the tower remains open after midnight. Prices vary, but visitors can expect to pay anywhere from $14 (€11) to $20 (€15.5) per person. The ticket includes access to the tower's three public elevators and 704 stairs. Tickets, including those with a discount, can be ordered online or at the box office near the tower.

Practical Information

Location: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France.

Working hours: Sunday - Thursday from 9:30 to 23:00. Friday, Saturday from 9:30 to 00-00.

Ways of travel:

By metro, stops Bir-Hakeim (3 minutes, line 6), Trocadero (5 minutes, line 9), École militaire (5 minutes, line 8);

RER trains: Champs de mars stop (1 minute walk);

Car: If you want to come to the Eiffel Tower by car, we recommend that you park in any of the underground car parks closest to the Eiffel Tower. A good choice is the Quai Branly car park located less than 300 meters from the tower!

Initially conceived as a temporary building, the Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of France and an object of admiration. However, the history of the creation and construction of an impressive structure was dramatic. For many Parisians, the tower evoked only negative emotions - the townspeople believed that such a tall structure would not fit into the appearance of their beloved capital or even collapse. But over time, the French appreciated the Eiffel Tower and fell in love with it. Today, thousands of people are photographed against the backdrop of the famous landmark, all lovers strive for it to spend unforgettable moments. Every girl who has a date at the Eiffel Tower hopes that it is there, taking all of Paris as witnesses, that her beloved will propose to her.

History of the Eiffel Tower

1886 Three years later, the World Industrial Exhibition EXPO will begin its work in Paris. The organizers of the exposition announced a competition for a temporary architectural structure that would serve as an entrance to the exhibition and personify the technical revolution of its time, the beginning of grandiose transformations in the life of mankind. The proposed building had to meet the following requirements - to generate income and be easily dismantled. More than 100 contestants took part in the creative competition, which started in May 1886. Some designs were quite bizarre - for example, a huge guillotine, reminiscent of the revolution, or a tower built entirely of stone. Among the participants of the competition was the engineer and designer Gustave Eiffel, who proposed a project of a 300-meter metal structure that was completely unusual for that time. He got the very idea of ​​the tower from the drawings of his company's employees Maurice Koehlen and Emile Nougier.

Construction of the Eiffel Tower, 1887-1889

It was proposed to make the structure from ductile iron, which at that time was the most progressive and economical building material. The Eiffel project was one of the four winners. Thanks to some changes made by the engineer to the decoration of the tower, the organizers of the competition gave preference to his "Iron Lady".

Stefan Sauvestre was involved in the development of the artistic appearance of the Eiffel Tower. To give the cast-iron construction more sophistication, the architect suggested adding arches between the ground floor piers. They symbolized the entrance to the exhibition and made the building more elegant. In addition, Sauvestre planned to place spacious glazed halls on different floors of the building, and slightly round the top of the tower.

The construction of the tower required 7.8 million francs, but the state allocated only one and a half million to the Eiffel. The engineer agreed to contribute the missing amount from his own funds, but in return demanded that the tower be leased to him for 25 years. At the beginning of 1887, the French authorities, the Paris City Hall and the Eiffel entered into an agreement and construction began.

Old photos of the Eiffel Tower

All 18,000 structural parts were manufactured at Gustave's own factory in Levallois, near the French capital. Thanks to carefully verified drawings, work on the installation of the tower progressed very quickly. The mass of individual elements of the structure did not exceed 3 tons, which greatly facilitated its assembly. At first, high cranes were used to lift parts. Then, when the tower became taller than them, Eiffel used small mobile cranes specially designed by him, moving along elevator rails. Two years, two months and five days later, with the efforts of three hundred workers, the construction of the structure was completed.

From 1925 to 1934, the Eiffel Tower was a giant advertising medium.

The Eiffel Tower instantly attracted thousands of curious people - in the first six months of the exposition alone, more than two million people came to admire the new attraction. The appearance of a new huge silhouette against the backdrop of Paris caused fierce controversy in French society. Many representatives of the creative intelligentsia were categorically against the appearance of a tower equal in height to an 80-story building - they feared that the iron structure would destroy the style of the city and suppress its architecture. Critics of Eiffel's work called the tower "the highest lamppost", "bell tower grill", "iron monster" and other unflattering and sometimes offensive epithets.

But, despite the protests and dissatisfaction of a certain part of the French citizens, the Eiffel Tower almost completely paid off in the first year of operation, and the further operation of the structure brought substantial dividends to its creator.

Hitler in front of the Eiffel Tower

By the end of the lease, it became clear that the dismantling of the tower could be avoided - by that time it was actively used for telephone and telegraph communications, as well as for radio stations. Gustave was able to convince the government and the generals of the country that in the event of war, the Eiffel Tower would be indispensable as a radio transmitter. In early 1910, the lease of the tower by its creator was extended for 70 years. During the German occupation in 1940, French patriots broke all the lifting mechanisms to cut off Hitler's path to the top of the tower. Due to non-working elevators, the aggressors were unable to set their flag on the iron Frenchwoman. The Germans even called their specialists from Germany to repair the elevators, but they could not get them to work.

Gustave Eiffel

With the development of television, the Eiffel Tower is becoming in demand as a place to place antennas, of which there are currently several dozen on it.

The designer, who at first used his building for profit, subsequently transferred the rights to it to the state, and today the tower is the property of the French people.

Eiffel could not imagine that his creation would become a tourist magnet along with other "Wonders of the World". The engineer simply called it the "300-meter tower", not assuming that it would glorify and perpetuate his name. Today, the openwork metal structure towering over the French capital is recognized as the most photographed and visited attraction in the world.

The Eiffel Tower is the most famous tower in the world, named after its creator, Gustave Alexandre Eiffel. It was built in 1889 in Paris. Its height exceeds 300 meters. There are few people in the world who cannot recognize the characteristic construction of this structure. For the French, this tower has become a national symbol.

In the history of the Eiffel Tower, it has been visited by about 240 million people, which makes it a leader among tourist attractions. Initially, the tower was planned as a temporary building, as the entrance arch of the Paris World Exhibition, which took place in 1889. After 20 years, the tower was going to be dismantled, however, the presence of radio communication antennas installed on its top played a decisive role in its fate, and it has survived to this day.

In the design of the Eiffel Tower, in addition to the Eiffel, engineers Maurice Kequelin, Emile Nougier, as well as the architect Stefan Sauvestre took part. It was their project that was chosen as the winner among 700 competitive works. During the construction of the tower, a lot of innovations and innovations were used. So, for the first time, studies were carried out on the properties and stratification of soils, caissons and compressed air were used to build the foundation for the tower, jacks weighing 800 tons were used to adjust the tilt angles and position of the tower, and special high-altitude cranes were used during installation. Also, the construction of the tower prompted the creation of new equipment and technology.

However, the Eiffel Tower was built a little over two years. It took the builders about a year and a half to lay the foundation, and another 8 months to assemble the structure itself. The tower consists of eighteen thousand metal parts, which are interconnected by 2.5 million rivets.

The tower is also famous for the fact that for the first time in the construction of high-rise structures, metal was used in large quantities. The height of the tower, including the spire, was 313 meters, and it was the tallest structure until 1931. And in 1957, a TV tower was installed on top of the tower, thus increasing its height to 320 meters!

If we connect the supports of the Eiffel Tower with lines, then we get a square with a side of 123 meters. The lower tier of the building has the shape of a truncated pyramid, and the lattice structures of the supports form four large and beautiful arches.

The internal structure of the tower is divided into several "floors": platforms and platforms. The lowest platform is at a height of 58 meters, the second rises 115 meters above the ground. After that, intermediate platforms are located, their height is 196 and 276 meters above the ground, and above them, at a height of 300 meters, the 3rd platform has already been placed.

Currently, the height of the Eiffel Tower reaches 326 meters. At its top, there is a viewing terrace, so beloved by tourists, which allows you to explore the surroundings within a radius of 90 km. The uppermost platform of the tower is small, just over one and a half meters in diameter, and is used to service the lighthouse installed on it.

For more than a century of history, the Eiffel Tower has been used by people for various purposes. It was both an observatory, and a physical laboratory, and a wireless telegraph. With the development of radio and television, antennas were installed on it for broadcasting programs. You can get to the 3rd tier in different ways: by elevator or on foot, counting 1710 steps.

The tower is made very stable and rigid. Even very strong winds shake its top by only 10-12 cm. But the sun has a stronger influence on the Eiffel Tower. Due to uneven heating, the top can deviate from its nominal position by 18 cm. Even the flood of 1910 did not affect the stability of the structure.

At the end of the 20th century, the Eiffel Tower was reconstructed. The old metal structures were replaced with new, stronger and lighter ones.