Eiffel Tower Sadie Couch

The Eiffel Tower is the Symbol of Paris. It is affectionately called “The Iron Lady.”

WORLD’S FAIR 1889

GUSTAVE EIFFEL Born December 15, 1832, in Dijon, France Died December 28, 1923, in Paris An engineer, Gustave Eiffel designed 100’s of lattice-like metal structures of all kinds and sizes: Bridges Viaducts Infrastructure of The Statue of Liberty, 1876 The Eiffel Tower, 1889, his crowning achievement

FUN FACTS Took 2 years, 2 months, 5 days to build 5,300 blue prints 18,038 parts 2,500,000 rivets Weighs 10,000 tons Measures 324 meters high 50 engineers 125 workmen on site 100 iron workers 1665 steps Cost $1.5 million

THE IRON LADY IS KEPT BEAUTIFUL! Painted every 7 years to preserve the iron and steel structure. Takes 14 months to paint from top to bottom. Takes 60 tons of paint. 25 painters kept busy.

“THE IRON LADY” SHINES FOR ALL! 1937 André Grasset created the largest chandelier in the world to hang under the first platform thousand watt projectors equipped with sodium lamps lighted the tower from inside. May, 1889 Lampposts were used to illuminate the tower. Time Line electric beams light the tower to celebrate the new millennium!

“THE GUARDIAN OF PARIS” 1914 “The tower radiotelegraphy center intercepts enemy messages. …[and] the infamous Mata Hari spy is caught.” 1927 “Lindbergh used the lighted tower to guide him to the end of his daring voyage.” World War II : All the elevator and electrical cables are cut to prevent the Occupational (German) forces from using the tower Tourist attraction: The tower is the most famous monument in the world with 6 million visitors a year.