Parameters of the "Iron Lady", or What is the height of the Eiffel Tower in the spire

The Eiffel Tower, otherwise known as the Tour de Eifel, is one of the most easily recognizable structures in Paris and the most visited tourist attraction. The history of the structure, named after its creator Alexander Gustave Eiffel, is interesting for many reasons, including the fact that the original construction was not considered as a permanent architectural component of the city. Now the "Iron Lady" is serene on the Champ de Mars, located on the southern bank of the River Seine, and no one disputes its beauty. Parisians love their "elegant lady" and believe that the Eiffel Tower is the visiting card of France, but it was not always so.

Competition

In 1889, the International Exhibition of Achievements of Technical Progress was to be held in Paris, timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. The field of the demonstration was chosen as the Field of Mars. Three years before the exhibition, the organization committee announced a competition for the best construction, which could clearly display the subject matter of the exposition. There were 700 applications, and some were rather eccentric. Since the exhibition was held to mark the centenary of the revolution, one of the proposed designs was a giant copy of the guillotine. Another project is a monumental structure with nozzles in the form of nozzles that allow you to shoot water jets and water the neighborhood of Paris in case of a drought. Perhaps the most eccentric was the proposal to create a 300-meter lighthouse made of granite with a highlight in the upper part that would shine so brightly that Parisians could read the newspaper at night. Fortunately, all these projects were rejected, and out of the hundred best proposals, the creation of Gustave Eiffel was unanimously named the winner of the competition.

How did the project come about?

It is interesting that the famous engineer and bridge builder was not going to participate in the competition, and the original tower design was created back in 1884 by the leading architect of his firm, Maurice Keschlen. When Eiffel was presented with sketches, he was interested in the engineering solution of the object. The project was finalized by the designer Emil Nugyo and submitted for participation in the contest. Having considered various options, the commission stopped at the work of the design firm Eiffel. By that time, an outstanding engineer had made final changes in the calculations and design of the tower. The tense and labor-intensive construction process began. In gratitude for the labors Gustave Eiffel ordered to engrave with the names of 72 remarkable architects, engineers, scientists and patrons who participated in the creation of his iron masterpiece. Their names still adorn the tower on four sides.

First reviews

From 1887 to 1889, the Eiffel Tower was erected in Paris. The height in the spire was 300.65 meters at that time. The entire structure weighing seven thousand tons served as the entrance arch of the International Exhibition in Paris and twenty years after the end of construction was to be dismantled. In the opening of the tower took part Prince of Wales, and later King of England Edward VII. His Majesty, as a man of wide views and a fan of neo-impressionism, was delighted with the construction. "Iron Lady" was a stunning success for visitors to the exhibition: in six months, she was admired by two million people. However, not all approve so approvingly innovative design from iron. Three hundred meters in height of the Eiffel Tower in the spire and the material from which it was made, caused indignation of many Parisians. Petition to the municipal authorities with outrage at the construction of a monstrous object, disfiguring the face of the city, was signed by three hundred respected French citizens. Among them were Guy de Maupassant, Emile Zola, Charles Francois Gounod (founder of the genre of the French lyric opera) and Dumas Jr..

What is the height of the Eiffel Tower in the spire?

The tower consists of three levels, equipped with observation platforms. The first is at a distance of 57 meters above the ground, the second - 115, and the third - 274 meters. To admire the beautiful view of Paris and its surroundings from a bird's eye view, it was necessary to overcome 1710 steps. After all, the height of the Eiffel Tower in the spire was about 300 meters, and the elevator on the middle level appeared later. However, such difficulties did not stop those wishing to visit the miracle of engineering thought. The popularity of the tower made the city authorities refuse to dismantle it. Since the end of the construction of "Iron Lady" for 41 years remained the highest man-made structure in the world. Built in 1930, the Chrysler Building pushed it down until 1957. At that time, an antenna was attached to the tower, and the structure was again above the skyscraper. To date, the height of the Eiffel Tower in the spire is 324 meters. Such changes in the parameters occurred after the installation of a new antenna at its apex in 2010. The creation of the Eiffel is the second highest in France after the Viaduct Millau Bridge, which is also recognized as the highest bridge in the world.

The fact of sale

The Eiffel Tower has often been the object of various frauds, but the most enterprising fraud was Victor Lustig: he managed in 1925 to sell the building twice. This man skilfully forged government documents on the demolition of the building, as it fell into disrepair, and selling it for scrap. He, calling himself Deputy Chief of the Ministry of Posts and Telegraph, sent invitations to participate in the tender to entrepreneurs involved in scrap metal. The three-hundred-meter height of the Eiffel Tower in the spire was a tasty morsel, so the opportunity to earn it interested in many. The choice fell on Andre Poisson, who so wanted to get the tower, that even gave the swindler a bribe, in order to get rid of competitors. When the unfortunate businessman realized that he had been deceived, the swindler with the full suitcase of money had already managed to escape. Poisson was too embarrassed to go to the police. Encouraged by the success of the swindler tried to implement the same scam a month later. But when the deceived buyer disclosed his plan and informed the police, Victor fled to the United States, where he eventually fell for other wrongdoings and was brought to trial.

An occupation

During the Second World War, fascist soldiers tried to fix a huge swastika on top of the highest structure of France. But it was incorrectly calculated what the height of the Eiffel Tower was, and did not take into account the strength of the gusts of wind on its summit. Therefore, the symbol, torn by a powerful airflow, had to be replaced by another one, which was much smaller. Adolf Hitler tried to destroy the Eiffel Tower in 1944. The dictator ordered the military governor of Paris, Dietrich von Hollitz, to demolish the tower and other architectural masterpieces of the city, but the general refused.

Our days

As a true Frenchwoman, "The Lady of the Eiffel" repeatedly changed its color. Now every seven years, the appearance of the beautiful woman is supported by 57 tons of brown paint, which most closely follows the natural shades of bronze. Since 2003, the "Iron Lady" has dressed in a sparkling outfit of twenty thousand light bulbs made to order. The firm that was engaged in this light decoration patented it, so you can not remove the Eiffel Tower during a night light show without special permission.

Curiosities

Giant beauty constantly attracts the attention of testers, suicides or just freaks. So, for example, a woman tried to settle scores with life, jumping off the Eiffel Tower, but landed on the car, standing at the bottom, and later married the owner of this car. In 2007, an American named Erica Labri was married to the Eiffel Tower and changed her surname from Labri to the Eifel. This curious case has become a subject for discussion in the news and social networks.

Be that as it may, the Eiffel Tower has been the undisputed symbol and adornment of the French capital for many years.