Few structures on Earth are as instantly recognizable as the Eiffel Tower. Yet when it first rose over Paris, it was met with as much controversy as admiration. Here’s the story of how an iron lattice tower became the symbol of an entire nation.
Built for a World’s Fair
The Eiffel Tower was constructed for the 1889 Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair), held to mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. The French government held a design competition for a centerpiece monument, and the proposal from engineer Gustave Eiffel’s company was selected from over 100 submissions.
Construction
Construction began in January 1887 and was completed in just over two years, finishing in March 1889 — remarkably fast for a structure of its size at the time. The tower was built using roughly 18,000 individual iron parts, held together by around 2.5 million rivets. It stood as the tallest man-made structure in the world at 300 meters (984 feet), a record it held for 41 years until the completion of New York’s Chrysler Building in 1930.
Early Controversy
Not everyone welcomed the tower. A group of prominent Parisian artists and intellectuals signed a public letter denouncing it as a “useless and monstrous” eyesore that would disfigure the city. Many expected it to be dismantled after the fair, since its original permit was only for 20 years.
Why It Survived
The tower avoided demolition largely because of its usefulness for scientific purposes. It became a valuable platform for radio transmission experiments, and by the early 1900s it was being used for military radio communication. This practical value convinced authorities to keep it standing well beyond its original permit, and it has remained a permanent fixture of the Paris skyline ever since.
Evolution Over Time
The tower’s appearance and function have changed considerably:
- It was originally painted a reddish-brown color, and has been repainted roughly every seven years, with the shade evolving over the decades to its current bronze tone.
- Lighting has been added and updated multiple times, including the sparkling light show that has lit up the tower every night since 2000.
- An observation deck and glass floor were added to give visitors striking views straight down to the ground below.
A National and Global Icon
Today, the Eiffel Tower is one of the most visited paid monuments in the world, drawing millions of visitors annually. It has become shorthand for Paris itself and for France more broadly, appearing constantly in film, art, and design worldwide — a permanent reminder that even the most controversial structures can become a nation’s most beloved symbol.
Planning a Trip to Paris?
If the Eiffel Tower is on your itinerary, make sure your phone is ready to go the moment you land. A travel eSIM gives you instant data coverage across France (and 200+ other countries) without hunting for a local SIM card or racking up roaming charges — one less thing to think about while you’re busy taking photos from the top.