Bucket List Experiences: Visit The Eiffel Tower
Possibly, the most romanticised city on earth, Paris, is famously recognised for one iconic and quite bizarre structure, the Eiffel Tower. It is the tallest monument in all of France and people from all over the globe flock to Paris to visit one of the world’s most legendary buildings.
History Of The Eiffel Tower
The tower is the most visited paid-for monument in the world, welcoming roughly 7 million guests every year and more than 250 million people have visited since its opening. The architectural feat is known as a symbol of love for couples everywhere and thousands upon thousands of marriage proposals are made under the stunning tower every year. Prior to the completion of the New York Chrysler Building in 1930, the Eiffel Tower remained the world's tallest man-made structure for 41 years. Including antennas, the tower is a staggering 324m tall and weighs approximately 10,100 tonnes.
Designed for the 1889 World’s Fair, or rather the Exposition Universelle, that Paris was hosting to honour the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, the Eiffel Tower project was selected from a whopping 107 project proposals. Initially making his name with numerous bridges for the French railway network, French civil engineer, Gustave Eiffel, was heading the project with his company and the help of his chief engineers, Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, and architect Stephen Sauvestre. Eiffel's company initially had the idea for a very tall tower in June 1884 however needed Sauvestre to help design the structure to make it more appealing to the general public.
With the construction first starting on the 28th of January 1887, the tower was completed in an astonishing record time of 2 years, 2 months and 5 days on the 31st March 1889. The 22-month endeavour took only 180 years fewer to construct than Paris’s other famous attraction, Notre Dame! The structure was unlike anything the world had ever seen before and was composed of over 18,000 metallic parts, 2,500,000 rivets, 7,300 tonnes of iron and a staggering 60 tonnes of paint! At any one time there could be up to 300 construction workers on site and 50 engineers and designers were responsible for the concept and design.
When the Eiffel Tower was built many in Paris actually despised it, with many distinguished academics fiercely opposing it, arguing that it would ruin the beauty of Paris. In the 1887 petition ‘Protest against the Tower of Monsieur Eiffel,' a group of esteemed Parisians wrote that the tower was ‘useless and monstrous’. Little did they know that it would become the world's beloved centrepiece of their city.
The tower was an instant hit at the World Fair with almost 2 million visitors and making the international exhibition very profitable that year. The plan stated that it was to be torn down after twenty years but thanks to its useful radio antennas and immense international popularity, the government decided against demolishing it. Did you know that the military governor of Paris had Hitler’s orders to demolish the tower in 1944 as the Allies approached Paris?
The Eiffel Tower is such a storied structure with a rich history and there is so much fascinating trivia that surrounds it that makes it even more alluring to visitors. Some even consider the incredible tower to be a cousin of the Statue of Liberty as Eiffel’s company proved their iron expertise with Lady Liberty herself first. There’s even a small military bunker right underneath the south pillar of the structure that has now been transformed into a small museum that hosts entertaining groups tours that explore the fascinating space. As well as this, the third floor once housed a meteorology lab where all sorts of experiments in physics and aerodynamics were carried out. A wind tunnel was built within the facility and cosmic rays were even discovered there! For those with a keen eye you may even spot one of the 72 names of prolific French scientists and engineers engraved onto the tower.
Eiffel Tower Experiences
Fancy a cheeky drink paired with your panoramic 360° view of all of Paris? Fear not, for they even have a champagne bar built into the top floor. For the fitness freaks who think they climb all the way to the top there are a whopping 1,665 steps! Most choose to take the lift up which travels a staggering distance of 103,000 km a year! That’s equivalent to travelling the whole circumference of the world two and a half times over! If you know family, friends or even a couple travelling to the romantic city of Paris, look no further than Gifting Owl for a fantastic variety of great Eiffel Tower experiences that they’ll never forget.
Alternatively, if you are travelling to a beautiful city yourself, Gifting Owl is the perfect way to find some unique ways to visit the beloved monument. An excellent introduction to the city and its tower would have to be the Paris City Guided Tour Incl Lunch At Eiffel Tower. The full day tour visits all of Paris’s iconic landmarks including Notre Dame Cathedral, Louvre museum, Garnier Opera, Concorde Square, the Champs Elysees and the Arch of Triumph.
After all this excitement the tour settles down for a delectable lunch at the famous Le 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant located on the first floor of the tower. After lunch, you will have free time to explore the Eiffel Tower, then take a boat cruise along the Seine where you can admire it from a different angle. Alternatively, if you or your giftee is a budding amateur photographer, or just wants some incredible souvenirs to take back home the Paris Photo Night Tour is perfect! Master long exposure photography and capture some truly remarkable views of the Tower looming over the city. These expertly taken photos are great for impressing friends back home and make great additions to the home!
No matter who you are buying for, Gifting Owl has got you covered for some incredible options that will ensure their Eiffel Tower experience is unforgettable. All Gifting Owl vouchers are fully interchangeable so your gift can't go wrong. Happy gifting!
