Eiffel Tower Day: Some facts about the monument
March 31 is celebrated as Eiffel Tower Day in honor of the completion of the construction of this engineering marvel. The Eiffel Tower gets almost seven million visitors a year at present, thus is the most visited monument that visitors pay for in the world. Locally, called "La dame de fer" which translates to "Iron Lady," here are some interesting facts about the Tower.
The Tower is named after its main engineer
The Eiffel Tower is named after the principal engineer who built it, Gustave Eiffel. The Tower was built for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, which was meant to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. Since the 1980s, the monument has regularly been restored and adapted as an ever-growing tourist attraction. It represents the magic of light and the lighting leaves visitors awestruck.
Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure until 1929
The construction took two years, two months, and five days to complete and it was opened to the public during the 1889 World's Fair. Its completion was a testimony to the technological prowess of French engineering personified by Gustave Eiffel. Standing at 300 meters, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world until the Chrysler Building's (New York City) extension in 1929.
The Tower's height increased recently
The Tower sits on a five-meter base and has a television antenna on top, bringing its elevation to 324 meters. A new digital radio antenna was attached to the top on March 15, 2022, increasing its height by six meters. It now measures 330 meters.
Eiffel Tower was meant to be demolished in 20 years
The Tower was only intended to last 20 years! Since Gustave Eiffel only had a 20-year permit to use the land, the Tower had to be returned to Paris. However, it was saved by the first radio transmissions, followed by telecommunications. On November 5, 1898, Eugène Ducretet established the first radio contact in Morse code between the Eiffel Tower and the Pantheon tower.
How can you celebrate?
Visiting the Eiffel tower would be the best way to honor this monument, but if you're not able to travel far, visit a local replica of the monument! Or simply just bake an Eiffel Tower cake and throw a party for your friends with Eiffel Tower as the theme. Wear clothes and jewelry featuring the monument and enjoy the vibrant spirit of the day.
