Tour Eiffel

When built: 1887-1889
Why: International Exhibition; France to have the world’s tallest building.
Designed by Gustave Eiffel, a bridge builder. The plans covered 6,000 square metres of paper.
How built; in a factory, then put together on the site like a giant Meccano set by 300 builder. Held together by 2,500,000 rivets.
PRICE: exactly 1 franc per kilogram.
WEIGHT: 7,000 tons, putting a pressure on the ground of 56 lbs per square inch – less than a man sitting on a chair.
A scale model a foot high would weigh a quarter of an ounce (7 grams).

HEIGHT: Originally 984 feet; now, with TV mast, 1.058 feet.
EXPANSION: the tower is 6 inches higher on a very hot day.
SWAY: only 5 inches in the strongest winds. PLATFORMS: at 187 feet, 377 feat, 898 feet.
Going up the tower is not compulsory for visitors to Paris. The view from the top is over-rated.
I recommend the second floor. Go up by lift, walk down the stairs.

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