How Long Did It Take to Build the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is really known architectural place of Paris, widespread as its symbol. But how long did it take to build the Eiffel Tower?

The Eiffel Tower is well recognizable building, which is the tallest one in Paris, having the height with the newly added antenna of 324 meters, which is roughly speaking equal to 81 floor house! But have you ever interested enough how long did it take to build the Eiffel Tower? Let’s find out several interesting answers on many related to this construction answers.

This amazing construction was built in far 1889 and has a surprising story. In 1889 in Paris the World Exhibition used to be held to commemorate the French Revolution centennial anniversary. For this event to the local government instructed to invent and erect a special temporary structure as the arch entrance for the exhibition.

The committee selected Eiffel’s project, although the idea was not his, but his two employees – Maurice Kahlen and Emil Nude. The mounting of such a complicated structure in two years was possible only because of Eiffel’s special construction methods.

How much did the Eiffel Tower cost to build?

In order to emphasize great tower elegance and to meet all the traditional tastes of the local public, the architect Stefan Sovestr was instructed to work on its design and artistic look. He offered to create sheathing of the plinth supports with stone, tie them and platform of the first floor by grand arches, which could become the main exhibition entrance. The tower top he decided to give a rounded configuration, and use a lot of breed elements for its decoration.

Eiffel was given with the cash grant payment of 1.5 million gold francs, amounting near 25% of the cost of the tower construction. The total construction budget was amounted to 7.8 million francs.

How long did it take to build the Eiffel Tower?

300 workers during two years, two months, five days were constructing this tower. The record time was contributed due to drawings of great quality with exact dimensions.

The building was stunning and had an instant success. For 6 months of the duration of the exhibition event, two million visitors decided to come and admire at the tower. But the intelligentsia of Paris and France feared that the steel structure will suppress the architecture of the city and break the unique and special capital style. Therefore, they asked to stop the tower construction. But it was really planned to stand just for twenty years after the passed event. The structure was saved due to the radio antenna set on its top – it was the radio introduction era!

How much steel was used to build the Eiffel Tower?

The metallic structure weight is 7300 tones (the whole weight is 10,100 tons). The ground floor has a pyramidal shape and is formed by four columns that are joined at 57.63 meters height; the arched vault that is the first platform has a square shape. This platform rises with the second pyramid, formed as 4 columns with combinable vault, which is the 2d platform.

Four columns that are towering on the 2d platform, and gradually drawing closer pyramid are intertwined, forming a colossal pyramidal tower, bearing a third platform as a square shape. A lighthouse stands there with a dome. In the tower there are stairs of 1792 steps.

How does the tower look like today?

On the 1st platform there are restaurant halls. On the 2d platform there are oil containers for the lifting and a restaurant in a chic glass Gallery. On the 3d platform there is placed the astronomical and meteorological observatory and a physical office. The light beacon can be visible at 6 miles distance!

Throughout its special history, the tower several times used to be changed with its color – from yellow shade to reddish-brown one. During the last decade it is painted in the so-called “brown-Eiffel” – officially patented shade close to natural shades of bronze.

As show several estimates, this wonderful construction is already visited by an incredible amount of 200,000,000 people since its opening! It happens to become the most attended tourist showplace in the whole world!

The tower creator often used to humorously talk about his creation: “I ought to feel a jealousy sense to my tower. Finally, it is really more famous than me”. The gold-plated bust of Gustave Eiffel is set on the northern tower “leg” with an ordinary inscription: “Eiffel: 1832 – 1923”.

Interesting facts, needed to be known about the tower

There are presented 10 amazing facts you could just have no idea about this construction, and some of them may surely surprise you.

1. The tower construction required for two years, two months, five days. This is indeed a record time. The construction was officially completed in 1889 (March 31).
2. It was expected that it had to stand just for twenty years. Gustave Eiffel decided to build it in honor of the French Revolution 100th anniversary.
3. This construction used to be not always brown. In 1889 it used to be repainted in yellow shade and in 1961 it was painted with brownish red shade.
4. During late 1920s and early 1930s, it was serving as a huge billboard that had three sides, which have been paid for Citroen. No other brand has ever used this structure as a promotional tool.
5. Originally, French people hated it. So, a team of architects and scholars of that time signed a protesting document about the tower construction, which was perceived as monstrous and useless.
6. The construction has played an important role during the Battle of the Marne in the World War I in 1914, as from the tower top were sent several important signals, sending French troops on the front line.
7. In 1889, the French Le Figaro newspaper has founded a print shore on the 2d floor.
8. The Eiffel Tower is compressed. It’s really true! Measurements made last winter have shown that it is shorter in 6 inches.
9. It attracts roughly speaking seven million visitors annually. It is a real monument, which receives a lot of travelers around the whole world, who pay the usual entrance fee.
10. Every night the construction is covered with wonderful gold shining lights during five minutes. The best point to watch the show is the Trocadero square.