Fatin and Aina

EIFFEL TOWER

Designed by famous French architect Gustave Eiffel, suppose to be a temporary structure as part of World’s Fair 1889, celebrating 100th year of French revolution. Initially the steel structure was considered ugly by the Parisians however it was very popular with the visitor so it remained as landmark and icon of Paris till to day. It received more than 6.5 million visitors annually. It stand at 324M, not veryhigh compared to other modern tower such as KL tower which standat 421m. It was built in record time of 2 years, 2 months and 5 days.To say that it is beautiful is an understatement. It looked more like a vertical steel bridge to me, however I am attracted by the practical aspect of steel lattice work which we learned during school days being put to good use. The tower still has practical use as transmission tower in the modern era.It open to visitors 7 days a week. Other works associated with Mr.Eiffel is Statue of Liberty and Panama canal.

Mahatma Gandhi wrote in his autobiography about the tower. He was studying in England at that time.

'A particular attraction of the exhibition was the Eiffel tower , constructed entirely of iron and nearly 1000ft high. There were of course many other thing of interest, but the tower was the chief one, inasmuch it had been supposed till then that a structure of that height could not safely stand. Tolstoy mentioned that it was a monument of human folly.'