Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France, named after engineer Gustave Eiffel whose company designed and built it from 1887 to 1889 as the entrance arch for the 1889 World’s Fair. Standing 330 metres tall, it was the world’s tallest man-made structure for 41 years and remains the most visited paid monument in the world, attracting nearly seven million visitors annually. Originally intended as a temporary installation, the tower survived its scheduled demolition and became the defining symbol of Paris.
At a glance
- Type
- Wrought-iron lattice tower
- Period
- Built 1887–1889
- Style
- Structural expressionism; 19th-century industrial engineering
- Location
- Champ de Mars, 7th arrondissement, Paris, France
- Coordinates
- 48.8586° N, 2.2945° E
Overview
The Eiffel Tower stands on the Champ de Mars beside the Seine River and is visible from most of central Paris. It was built as the centrepiece of the Exposition Universelle of 1889, which celebrated the centennial of the French Revolution. The tower is composed of three public floors and an observation deck at its summit, reached by stairs or lifts, and hosts restaurants, exhibitions, and a post office within its iron structure.
History
Construction of the tower required 300 workers assembling 18,038 pieces of puddled iron joined by 2.5 million rivets over a period of two years, two months, and five days. It was inaugurated on 31 March 1889 and opened to the public on 6 May. Despite initial objections from leading French artists and intellectuals — including Maupassant, Verlaine, and Zola — who called it an eyesore, the tower proved immediately popular with the public. It was saved from demolition in 1909 when its radio transmission antenna proved militarily useful, a role that continued into World War I.
What you see
The tower’s four curved legs converge into a single shaft rising through three platforms, the highest at 276 metres offering panoramic views across the Île-de-France. The intricate lattice of riveted iron girders creates a lace-like visual effect that changes character with the light throughout the day. Each evening after dark, the tower is illuminated by 336 projectors and sparkles for five minutes every hour with 20,000 light bulbs, a display that has made it a beloved nighttime spectacle since 1985.
Cultural significance
The Eiffel Tower is arguably the most photographed structure in the world and functions as a universal shorthand for Paris and France in global popular culture. It was a pioneering demonstration of iron’s structural potential at a scale previously unimagined, influencing generations of engineers and architects. The tower is listed as a monument historique and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Seine riverbanks site.
Practical information
- Address
- Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France
- Hours
- Check official website for current opening times; generally open daily
- Admission
- Paid entry; ticket prices vary by floor and access type (stairs or lift)
- Website
- toureiffel.paris
Getting there
The nearest Métro station is Bir-Hakeim on line 6 (Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel RER C station is even closer). Trocadéro station on lines 6 and 9 offers the classic frontal view of the tower. Bus lines 82 and 87 stop near the site, and the tower is easily reached on foot from the Champ de Mars gardens or from the Trocadéro esplanade across the Seine.