Eiffel tower

The History

The Eiffel Tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel, an engineer and architect. To be specific he was a civil engineer, a chemical engineer, a structural engineer and an architect. The Eiffel Tower was designed to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution (a centennial is a 100 year anniversary). The construction cost 6.5 million francs or 30 million dollars today. It was constructed from 18,000 pieces of metal and was constructed between 1887 and 1889. For 1887 that was really fast considering they definitely didn’t have all the tools we have today. It was built 300 metres high and there were 300 workers, one for each meter (just kidding). While the Eiffel Tower was being built plenty of people criticized it, this is one writer's quote: “Imagine for a moment a giddy, ridiculous tower dominating Paris like a gigantic black smokestack.” In order for it to become an attraction they needed to make elevators that went sideways which also would have been really hard back in 1887. Once the Eiffel Tower was completed, lots of people changed their minds and thought it was in fact, pretty but some people still hated it. One of those people was Guy Maupassant and he ate lunch in the tower EVERY DAY because it was “ the only place in the city where he couldn't see the tower”. I mean that guy has to get his priorities straight like if you like the tower that’s fine don’t pretend to hate it (I honestly don’t understand this guy). Well believe it or not, the Eiffel tower was the tallest man-made structure in the world for 41 years! Now there was a problem because the city planned to demolish the tower in 1909 but they found it useful as a radio tower and also to jam the Nazis' radio signals so they kept it. That is why the Eiffel Tower is still standing today!

Peculiar events that took place in the Eiffel Tower

There are some very silly events that took place in the Eiffel Tower and the first one is about Franz Reichelt. Franz Reichelt was trying to design a homemade parachute and he got permission to test it on the Eiffel Tower. Yes, I know this sounds crazy but they thought he was using a dummy. He wasn’t. He wouldn’t be talked out of jumping when they realized he was intending to jump himself. Franz Reichelt was jumping from the first floor which was a 57 metre drop! He jumped and to no-one's surprise, he died on impact. This was not a suicide attempt because he genuinely thought it would work. Moving on now we will quickly talk about the other 2 events. Number one, in 1923 Pierre Labric who was a journalist rode his bike down the stairs of the Eiffel Tower from the first floor only to be arrested. The second one is about Erika Aya who in 2007 “married the Eiffel Tower” and changed her name to “Erika Aya Eiffel”.

Facts about the Eiffel Tower

• The Eiffel Tower is 133 years old

• The Eiffel Tower is the tallest structure in France

• The Eiffel Tower is as tall as an 81-storey building

• In cold weather the tower shrinks by 6 inches

• The Eiffel Tower gets a fresh coat of paint every 7 years

• There are over 30 replicas of the Eiffel Tower around the world, and the one in Tokyo is taller by 33 metres

The End!!!!!!

My Model

I made this model from popsicle sticks and hot glue.