Iconic ‘Eiffel Tower’ Celebrates Its 130th Anniversary

The most iconic feature on the Paris skyline and France’s most visited monument, Eiffel Tower is celebrating its 130th birthday. In the course of its 130 years life, it has seen many ups and downs but stands firm spreading the message of beauty, love and peace.

The Eiffel tower came into existence in the year 1889. In the course of time, it became the symbol of Paris. For 41 years it was also the tallest structure of the world until the construction of the Chrysler Building in New York in the year 1930. Today the tower attracts nearly seven million visitors every year.

Christophe Girard, who is overseeing the cultural affairs at Paris says the recent fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral that destroyed most of it, has alerted the experts and awakened the people to, “the importance of our heritage and that it can disappear or be damaged”.

The Eiffel tower which is 324 metres in height and 7,300 tonnes in weight came into existence during the centenary celebration of the French Revolution. For the occasion, a competition ‘Universal Exhibition of 1889’ was launched to build a monument in the memory of the French Revolution.

Industrialist Gustave Eiffel won the competition. He employed many renowned artists of the time including the writer Guy de Maupassant to give shape to the tower. It took two years, two months and five days to complete the construction of the historic, which also became a symbol of a technical and architectural feat as the structure was based on more than 18,000 pieces of iron.

Architect and Historian Bertrand Lemoine says, in the nineteenth century, “it is the symbol of a France that catches up with its industrial power and becomes the highlight of the 1889 exhibition”.

Bertrand Lemoine also says, “In 1900, when the effect of fashion was over, there was a risk that the Tower is destroyed because considered superfluous, outdated. But then the Eiffel Tower served as a radio antenna, which ensures communications between Paris and the Franco-German border. From then on, there was a strategic and military interest too in keeping it”.

Eiffel tower’s fame has grown steadily, attracting more than 20 million admirers from all over the world. Also, in the course of time, it has also found a place for itself on the international scene by carrying political or even humanist messages, as many a times it becomes a venue for the people to pay tribute to the victims of terrorism and other citizen protests.