A Bit of History

The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, opened the tower. Of the 700 proposals submitted in a design competition, Gustave Eiffel's was unanimously chosen.

However it was not accepted by all at first, and a petition of 300 names - including those of Maupassant, Emile Zola, Charles Garnier (architect of the Opéra Garnier), and Dumas the Younger - protested its construction.

At 300 metres (320.75m including antenna), and 7000 tons, it was the world's tallest building until 1930. Other statistics include:
2.5 million rivets.
300 steel workers, and 2 years (1887-1889) to construct it.
Sway of at most 12 cm in high winds.
Height varies up to 15 cm depending on temperature.
15,000 iron pieces (excluding rivets).
40 tons of paint.
1652 steps to the top.

It was almost torn down in 1909, but was saved because of its antenna - used for telegraphy at that time. Beginning in 1910 it became part of the International Time Service. French radio (since 1918), and French television (since 1957) have also made use of its stature.

During its lifetime, the Eiffel Tower has also witnessed a few strange scenes, including being scaled by a mountaineer in 1954, and parachuted off of in 1984 by two Englishmen. In 1923 a journalist rode a bicycle down from the first level. Some accounts say he rode down the stairs, other accounts suggest the exterior of one of the tower's four legs which slope outward.

However, if its birth was difficult, it is now completely accepted and must be listed as one of the symbols of Paris itself.

Ecole-Militaire seen through the base of the tower.
Notes
The tower has three platforms. A restaurant (extremely expensive; reservations absolutely necessary), the Jules Verne is on the second platform. The top platform has a bar, souvenir shop, and the (recently restored) office of Gustave Eiffel.

From its platforms - especially the topmost - the view upon Paris is superb. It is generally agreed that one hour before sunset, the panorama is at its best.

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.

Restourants:

ALTITUDE 95

Altitude 95 is located on the first floor. The name comes from its height, 95 meters above sea level.
The large bay windows of the restaurant look out over the Seine and the Trocadéro to one side and the inside of the Tower to the other. The atmosphere is reminiscent of an airship moored above Paris.
The restaurant seats 200 and also has a ground floor bar serving drinks and refreshments all day.

Reservations:
Tel: 33 (0)1 45 55 20 04
Fax: 33 (0)1 47 05 94 40

LE JULES VERNE

The prestigious Jules Verne Restaurant is located on the second floor and has its own private elevator access (south pillar).
The head chef, Alain Reix, has brought the restaurant an excellent reputation, placing among the top in France (one star in the Guide Michelin, 16/20 in the Guide Gault Millau).
Sitting in the heart of this intricate iron structure full of angles and perspectives, the Jules Verne looks out over Paris from 125 meters above ground.

Reservations (by fax or telephone only):
Tel: 33 (0)1 45 55 61 44
Fax: 33 (0)1 47 05 29 41

Visitors may climb the stairs or take the elevators to go up the Eiffel Tower.

The stairs are open to the public and go up to the second floor (115 meters).

Three elevators (north, west and east pillars) go up to the first and second floors. Only one or two will be in service on any given day due to maintenance and security reasons.

To reach the top of the Tower (276 meters), visitors must take another elevator from the second floor. During the peak visitor seasons, be forewarned that the wait may be consequential.