Views From Outside Parks Around The Tower

Views From Under The Tower

Views From The Very Top of The Tower

Notes on The Eiffel Tower ......

The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 and now has 6 million people visit it every year. The Eiffel Tower, symbol of innovative technique at the end of the 19th century, has maintained its universal image. From the top, you can see over Paris.

Century of anecdotes:

The Eiffel Tower's epic history recounted for its hundredth birthday. To celebrate the Tower's hundredth birthday in 1989, a huge fresco retracing its first century of life was created. The 100 individual panels it contains are drawn and captioned in the way newspapers were in Gustave Eiffel's time and are exhibited throughout the monument.

One hundred years of historic and scientific events, famous visitors, anecdotes and incredible stories involving the Eiffel Tower are now made public in this journal. The panels are provided by the OTIS Company, whose history remains closely tied to the Eiffel Tower's. The panels are numbered and can be found on the various levels and staircases of the tower. Though they are displayed in treasure hunt style on the tower itself, they are presented in chronological order here for clarity's sake.

(Article by François Dhôtel, architect):

The Eiffel Tower, symbol of innovative technique at the end of the 19th
century, has maintained its universal image. Even if 6 million visitors climb the Tower each year, the number of those who have set eyes on the Tower but never foot coupled with those who know of the tower but have never even caught a glimpse of the monument are far more numerous. Its simplified representation is but an inanimate object, an unchanging reference point. Yet, differing from many other structures built in the past, it is alive, ever changing and evolving.

The most spectacular transformations are also those that are the most visible: it has changed color six times in its lifetime and its lighting effects have been designed at different moments to decorate the tower for a day or for longer periods of time. Following many different lighting styles, the present day system has been highlighting the internal structure of the Tower for more than ten years now.

Less spectacular yet visible are the developments that have been added to the different levels such as the various pavilions and constructions on the first and second floors. Also the roofing of the galleries and shelters providing refuge from bad weather conditions including the landing stages, covered walkways, etc., as well as the numerous technical and service quarters and the
spaces located directly over or under these levels.

The elevator and staircases - construction or replacement of - and the elevator platform could also fall into this same category of developments, except in cases where they have become integrated parts of the structure. Much less visible are the operations that have modified the original Tower's structure.

Indeed, at different periods in time, even the skeleton structure evolved, either little by little as the necessity arose or to reinforce certain structural members that were damaged by various causes.

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CHRONOLOGY OF THE MAIN CONSTRUCTION PERIODS:

1900 (Universal Exposition) 2nd floor Construction of the upper second floor. 2 meters added to lower second floor enclosure platform.

1902 Spire Reinforcement of the trusses above the second floor.

1957 Highest point Due to a fire, the top was reconstructed with additional levels and antenna bases.

1976 Spire Caisson of trusses, previously consolidated in 1902 .

1981 à 1983 (major construction) Highest point Construction of the 6th floor

( T.D.F. - France Television Diffusion). Construction on the 5th floor (elevator equipment).

Spire Construction on the stairs and tower's new elevators. Symmetrical arrangement of the horizontal braces.

• 2nd floor Construction of the panoramic restaurant JULES VERNE.
• Refitting of the upper second floor and core central floor. Refitting of
• the lower second floor and core central floor.
• 1st floor Elimination of the flooring and construction on the platform.
• Underneath reinforcement of the principal structures and active struts.
• The floor was redone. 3 pavilions were built.

1986: General Tower lighting system.

See the official Eiffel Tower website with pictures of the chronology.

Tower Facts & Figures:

Date of Birth: The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 for the Universal Exposition celebrating the centenary of the French Revolution.

Contractor: Gustave Eiffel & Cie.

Engineers: Maurice Koechlin & Emile Nouguier.

Architect: Stephen Sauvestre.

Studies began: 1884.

Construction : 1887 - 1889 (2 years, 2 months and 5 days).

Workmen: 50 engineers, designers produced 5,300 "blueprints".... 100 ironworkers produced the 18,038 individual parts to be assembled 121 men working the construction site

Weight: The Eiffel Tower is relatively lightweight, creating a force of only 4.5kg/cm2 on the foundation. If the Tower was placed in an air cylinder, its weight would not be more than that of the air cylinder.

Metal framework weight: 7,300 tons. Total weight: 10,000 tons.

Movement: The force of the wind causes the top of the Tower to sway 6 to 7cm. Heat also causes the Tower top to move, with a curve of movement measuring 18cm.

At the base: The pillars are oriented in the manner of the four cardinal points, contained within a square with 125-meter sides.

Height: 1889 (height with flag): 312.27 m ... 1991 (height with antenna): 317.96m 1994 .... (height with antenna): 318.70m .... 2000 (height with antenna): 324.00m Until the construction of the Chrysler Building in 1930 by William Van Allen, architect, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest building in the world.

Paint: The Tower is repainted every 5 years, necessitating 50 tons of paint.

Renovation:1980 - 1985: Ambitious program of restoration. The structure was strengthened, while 1,343 tons of unnecessary materials were removed. Added new elevators going from the second floor to the top, and new panoramic restaurants. Added new illuminations (352 1,000-watt projectors lighting the Tower from the structure interior.

Number of Visitors: In 2006, the Tower welcomed 6,719,200 visitors.

See the official website. Especially view the 'Tour of Paris' where it says: 'Welcome to "An Eiffel Tower View of Paris"This interactive visit will take you on a high definition tour of Paris as seen from the Eiffel Tower. The city’s wealth of monuments, museums, parks and gardens at your fingertips, only a simple mouse click away. To roam through this 360 panoramic tour from the tallest monument in Paris, click on a viewing angle or specific city site'. >>> especially go into 'Select Viewing Mode' to see views from the north, south, east and west views from the tower >>> > Spectacular!!!

http://www.tour-eiffel.fr/teiffel/uk/ludique/visite/cult/cult_deux.html