The Famous French Landmark

When you think of France, what comes first to your mind? Aside from French bread and the Louvre Museum, this city of romance is most famous for its grandiose tourist attraction: Eiffel Tower. This renowned landmark was not constructed merely to put France in the world map, but to celebrate an important event in the French history--- French Revolution.

This monumental structure is built beside the River Seine on Champ de Mars. Standing at 300 meters or 986 feet high, Eiffel Tower used to be the tallest structure in the world. But the title was immediately handed to the Chrysler Building in New York which towers over Eiffel Tower for 19 meters. The iron tower weighs about 10,100 tons and is also considered by architects to be one of a few perfectly vertical structures made.

Eiffel Tower is named after Gustave Eiffel who won the design competition out of 700 who submitted. This iron tower is made to serve as an archway for Exposition Universelle, a celebration marking the centennial turning of the historical French Revolution. It was built between the years 1887 and 1889 and was originally made only to last for 20 years for which after, it would be torn down. That just got me to thinking: what would Paris be without Eiffel Tower? Hmm...