History of the Eiffel Tower

The history of the Eiffel Tower is totally fascinating, and I love the stories surrounding it - the facts about the Eiffel Tower are also fascinating. The quintessential essence of Frenchiness, la Tour Eiffel was named after Gustav Eiffel but was actually designed by one of his staff for Paris' World Fair of 1889.

It was planned to be a temporary structure for the Exposition Universelle (World's Fair), but because it could be seen from miles away, the Eiffel Tower became an accidental landmark. There was lots of public outcry when it was decided to keep it- it was thought to be ugly and many French people just didn't like it.

Over a hundred years later and who could imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower now?  Not me!

The view from the top of the Eiffel Tower is spectacular, especially on a clear day - if you get the chance to take a tour or visit the Eiffel Tower, you won't be disappointed.  The Jules Verne restaurant is famous in its own right, and also well worth a visit.

You can take the lift (elevator) from either one of two of the legs and you can choose how high you'd like to go and pay what you can afford. Be prepared for long queues for the lift, but there'll be lots to look at while you wait.

I took the Metro to Bir Hakeim, and walked the short disance to the feet of the Tower - immense is the first word which popped into my head (see my photos of the Eiffel Tower - la Tour Eiffel).  You can also hop off the Metro at Trocadéro.

There's also a fabulous champagne Cruise on the River Seine which leaves from this point, and is always one of my favourite things to do in Paris at dusk.

Eiffel Tower (la Tour Eiffel)
Parc du Champ de Mars
Paris, France 75001
Tel: (France +33) 45-50-34-56

Métro: Bir Hakeim or Trocadéro - or take the RER to Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel

Tip: The day I took the photos on this page was beautiful with big juicy clouds; lots of tourists were milling around the feet of the Eiffel Tower, and there was a party atmosphere. If you're interested in facts about the Eiffel Tower, you can read this on the Facts page.

Map

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