Initial Purpose: Temporary structure meant to last 20 years
Visitors: Approximately 7 million per year
Construction Details
Start Date: Digging work started on January 28, 1887
Completion Date: Finished on March 31, 1889
Duration: Construction took 2 years, 2 months, and 5 days
Key Figures
Main Architect: Gustav Eiffel
Engineers: Maurice Koechlin, Émile Nouguier
Architect: Stephen Sauvestre
Acknowledgments: 72 names of contributing engineers, scientists, and mathematicians engraved on the tower
Purpose of Construction
Exposition Universelle: Built for the 1889 Exposition Universelle
Celebration: Centennial of the French Revolution
Demonstration: Showcase of France's industrial power and capabilities
Architectural Significance
Design: Innovative with a revolutionary architectural style
Materials: Choice influenced by burgeoning steel industry; affordable iron used
Intended Longevity and Continued Use
Temporary Structure: Initially meant to be dismantled after 20 years
Radio Broadcasts: Became a strategic asset for radio broadcasting in 1897
World War I Role: Used for intercepting telegrams and intelligence gathering
Current Functionality
Broadcasting Hub: Contains 120 antennas, 32 radio stations, and 40 TV channels broadcast from the top
Conclusion
The Eiffel Tower, initially intended as a temporary exhibit, became a permanent and iconic feature of Paris due to its strategic value and architectural innovation.