Length and width of eiffel tower france. Eiffel Tower: an example of perseverance and success. History of the Eiffel Tower

Daria Nessel| Dec 20, 2016

The Eiffel Tower is the main symbol of Paris and all of France. Who among us would like to be in the most magical, romantic and beautiful city on earth - Paris. It is full of colors, the French capital captures, opening up a new, for certain unknown world. Each of us has always dreamed of walking along the Champs Elysees, walking through the halls of Versailles, and, of course, seeing the city from a bird's eye view, climbing the Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower weight

The weight of this creation of engineering is 10,100 tons, and the weight of the metal structure itself is 7,300 tons. Today, thanks to the development of technology, this amount of metal would be enough for several such structures.

Eiffel tower height

For four decades, the Eiffel Tower with a height of 300 meters (in 2010, thanks to the installed antenna, the height increased to 324 meters) was considered the highest in the world and almost doubled the buildings of that time, such as and.

Lower deck height

Middle tier height

Top deck height

• From the 2nd floor, namely from 115 m. in 2010, a world record for roller jumping was set.
• In 2012, Alain Robert climbed to the top of the monument without insurance.
• The Eiffel Tower is the owner of an exclusive color called "Eiffel Brown".
• About two thousand kilograms of paper is required to print daily tickets for Iron Lady visitors.
• In 2007, American Erica Labri took the Eiffel Tower as her husband. The government did not recognize the marriage, but the woman was allowed to change her name to Erica La Tour Eiffel.
• The creator of the Iron Lady spent 8,000,000 francs from his own funds on the construction, which paid off in the first year after opening.
• The tower repeatedly changed its appearance from red-brown to yellow.
• Since 2004, the first floor has been flooded. This year it is stylized under the hockey theme.
• The total length of the path to the top of the Eiffel Tower is 1792 steps.
• More than 6 million tourists visit the monument every year, and up to 30 thousand people a day.
• The amount of energy consumed by the tower is 7.8 million kWh per year to provide 5 billion lamps and lanterns.
• 300-hundred millionth visitor expected in 2017
• One share of the Eiffel Tower on the stock exchange costs approximately 40 euros.

• The total number of structural elements is 18038 and they are connected by more than 2,500,000 rivets.
• The total area of ​​the metal structure is 250 thousand m 2
• Painting the building costs 4,000,000 euros (2009 data), it is painted every 7 years.
• It takes more than 60 tons of paint in 3 shades to paint
• Misfortune has also accompanied this monument since June 15, 1898. Already about 400 people have committed suicide.
• The tower deviates from the wind by only 15 cm, and on a sunny day its slope is 18 cm.
• Service staff 350 people.
• Ground pressure 4 kg. cm 2
• The view from the upper observation deck is almost 70 km. in good weather.
• The Eiffel Tower is considered the most expensive monument in Europe, its cost is 435 million

Eiffel Tower project

The anniversary of the French Revolution has come, in honor of this, the authorities decided to arrange an exhibition, creating something that would be remembered for a long time. The administration commissioned the well-known engineer Gustav Eiffel to make a project and make proposals for the construction of the future structure. Gustav was surprised, but after painstaking work he submitted to the city administration an original, complex and unusual drawing for those times - an iron tower towering three hundred meters. According to historical information, the engineer had a similar idea and initial drawing for a long time, but he did not pay much attention to them because of the complexity of the work and employment.

In 1884, he received a patent for the creation of the project, after having bought the exclusive right.

Two years later, a competition was launched that determined the appearance of the exhibition. 107 of the most diverse projects took part in it, many of them repeated the drawings of the Eiffel Tower, but did not exceed it.

Very unusual proposals were offered for the exhibition, for example, a huge guillotine - a special mechanism for carrying out the death penalty by cutting off the head, reminiscent of all the horrors of the revolution. Another interesting proposal is a stone tower, the building was supposed to surpass the Washington Monument in the United States. The idea was immediately abandoned, due to the inconvenience of building a structure only from stone.

The Eiffel project was one of the four lucky winners. In order for the tower to match the aesthetic ensemble of the city, the last changes were made, after which the drawing was finally approved.

After approval, there was a difficult task: to build the Eiffel Tower in two years. This was made possible thanks to special construction methods.

Many members of the public were against the iron colossus right in the center of Paris, so Stefan Sauvestre was invited to work on the aesthetic appearance. He put forward several conceptual solutions for ennobling the iron structure, suggested sheathing the lower supports with stones, connecting the base and the first floor with a patterned arch. It was proposed to glaze the halls, make the top rounded, and the final touch - the use of decorative elements along the entire height.

With Eiffel, as an engineer and creator, they signed an agreement, he was given it for personal use and rent for twenty-five years, plus considerable subsidies. It is worth noting that the Eiffel Tower fully paid off during the exhibition, and an excursion to it is a profitable business today.

Construction of the Eiffel Tower

The construction of the Eiffel Tower took just over two years, all thanks to carefully crafted blueprints. They indicated the exact dimensions of about twelve thousand different metal parts. More than two and a half million rivets were used to assemble the structure. To carry out faster work, even on the ground, several parts were assembled into single blocks, holes for rivets were drilled in advance. Each of the iron blocks weighed no more than three tons, which made it easier to install them at a height.

At first, cranes were used, and when the tower outgrew them, Gustav came up with special mobile cranes that moved along rails, and then elevators were launched in their place.

Due to the tight deadlines and the high height of the structure, Eiffel paid great attention to safety. During the entire period there were no fatal incidents, which is quite surprising for that period.

Paradoxically, the most difficult work was carried out with the lower platform, it held the multi-ton structure, preventing it from sagging, tilting or collapsing. The whole structure has an excellent oscillatory trajectory, which allows it not to fall due to strong winds.

From the diaries of eyewitnesses of those events, one can find enthusiastic stories about the construction of the Eiffel Tower.

Many Parisians sincerely wondered and admired such a fast-growing, huge iron giant in the very center of the city.

And so, on March 31, 1889, twenty-six months later, the engineer invited officials for the first ascent, it was necessary to overcome 1710 steps.

Reaction to the Eiffel Tower

Under an agreement with an engineer, the Eiffel Tower was to be dismantled in twenty years, but the visitors of the exhibition and guests of the capital liked the unusual building very much, having a resounding success. In just 6 months it was visited by more than two million people.

The "Iron Lady", that's what the people called the building, caused a rather contradictory reaction. After the approval of the project and throughout the construction, letters and petitions came to the mayor's office and administration demanding to stop the construction. Activists believed that the Eiffel Tower would destroy the aesthetic ensemble of the city, built over many centuries. They called it an ugly, tasteless, huge iron pipe. Many were indignant at the shadow cast by the tower, saying that there is no hiding from it anywhere, it can be seen from anywhere in the city.

A restaurant was created on the ground floor, which still operates today. Once, Guy de Maupassant, the famous French writer, who was dining in a restaurant, was asked why he chooses this particular place. To which he gave a very categorical answer, saying: "That this restaurant is the only place in all of Paris where the tower is not visible." But the "iron lady" stood for more than twenty years, now it is impossible to imagine the city without it.

Eiffel Tower lights

When night falls on the city, the Eiffel Tower lights up with thousands of small lights, a spectacle of indescribable beauty, it is simply impossible to look away from it. Usually it glows with golden lights, but during solemn events or mourning events, it is painted in the colors of the flags of various countries, inscriptions are projected on it, or a color is chosen that symbolizes the coming event.

Where is the Eiffel Tower

The symbol of Paris is located in the 7th arrondissement, near the Quai Branly on the banks of the River Seine.

There are several metro stations within 5-10 minutes from the Eiffel Tower:

• Trocadero station, exits on Place du Trocadero, the sixth and ninth metro lines. You just need to walk a little, pass the gardens - a park area decorated with fountains and a bridge over the river.

• Bir-Hakeim Station, Subway Line 6. Suburban trains also run to the same station, line C. You will get off at the embankment, from here it’s only a couple of minutes on foot, enjoying the views of the Seine.

• Ecole Militaire station, line eight. It is the farthest from the famous landmark, but is notable for the fact that it passes through the famous Champ de Mars park.

Do not neglect buses (42, 69, 72, 82, 87) or walking, so you can enjoy the city live, and not push around in stuffy subway cars.

View of the Eiffel Tower

Google panorama of the Eiffel Tower.

Whether you're the lucky one who has visited Paris, or just dreaming of getting there, chances are you know about the French capital's most beloved attraction, the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower (La Tour Eiffel in French) was the main exhibit of the Paris and World Exhibition in 1889. It was built to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution, and was supposed to demonstrate the industrial prowess of France throughout the world.

The French engineer Gustave Eiffel, which bears his name, is usually credited with designing the tower. In fact, these are two lesser-known people - Maurice Koechlin and Emil Nougier, who came up with the original drawings for the monument.

They were chief engineers for the Compagnie de Etablissements Eiffel, the engineering firm of Gustave Eiffel. Together with Gustave and French architect Stephen Sauvestri, the engineers submitted their plan to a competition that was to be the centerpiece of the 1889 Paris fair.

The design was won by the Eiffel company, and construction began on the tower in July 1887. But not everyone was happy with the idea of ​​a giant metal monument that was supposed to be in the center of the city. When the construction of the tower began on , a group of three hundred artists, sculptors, writers and architects sent an appeal to the head of the Paris Exhibition, begging him to stop the construction of the "unnecessary tower" that would "stand over Paris" like a "great black chimney". But the protests of the Paris community were not heard. The construction of the tower was completed in just two years, on March 31, 1889.

Construction process of the Eiffel Tower

Each of the 18,000 pieces used to build the tower was calculated specifically for this project and prepared at the Eiffel factory on the outskirts of Paris. The structure consists of four huge wrought iron arches set on stone pillars.

It took 2.5 million assembled rivets and 7,500 tons of iron to build the tower. To protect the tower from the elements, workers painted every inch, a feat that required 65 tons of paint. Since then, the tower has been repainted 18 times.

Facts you didn't know about the Eiffel Tower:

– Gustave Eiffel used wrought iron gratings to build the tower. To demonstrate that metal can be as strong as stone but lighter.

- Gustave Eiffel also created the inner frame for the Statue of Liberty.

– The total amount from the construction of the Eiffel Tower was 7,799,502.41 French gold francs in 1889.

– The Eiffel Tower is 1,063 feet (324 meters) long, including the antennas at the top. Without antenna, it is 984 feet (300 m).

– At that time, it was the tallest structure until the Chrysler Building in New York was built in 1930.

– The tower sways slightly in the wind, but the sun affects the tower more. As which side of the tower heats up in the sun, the top passages can change by 7 inches (18 centimeters).

- The weight of the tower is about 10,000 tons.

– There are about 5 billion lights on the Eiffel Tower.

- The French came up with a nickname for their tower - La Dame de Fer, (Iron Lady).

– One tower elevator travels a total distance of 64,001 miles (103,000 km) per year.

Tower use

When the Compagnie Des Etablissements Eiffel won the tender to start building the Champ de Mars tower, it was understood that the structure was temporary and would be removed after 20 years. But Gustave Eiffel was not interested in seeing his beloved project dismantled after a couple of decades, and so he set about making the tower an indispensable tool for society.

A few days after its opening, Eiffel installed a meteorological laboratory on the third floor of the tower. He suggested using the laboratory to scientists for their research on the whole gravity of electricity. Ultimately, it was a huge tower, not a laboratory that saved it from extinction.

In 1910, Paris accepted the Eiffel concession, due to the self-interest of this structure, as a wireless telegraph transmission. The French military used the tower to communicate in the Atlantic Ocean and intercept enemy data during the First World War. To date, the tower includes over 120 antennas, both radio and television signals throughout the capital and beyond.

Tower today

The Eiffel Tower is still the main element of the cityscape of the city. More than 8 million tourists visit this iconic building every year. Since its opening in 1889, 260 million citizens from all over the world, when they were in Paris, went to look at this architectural marvel.

She has something to offer you. The tower's three platforms are home to two restaurants, several buffets, a banquet hall, a champagne bar and many gift shops. Guided tours are available for children and tourist groups.

The tower is open to the public all year round. From June to September - the tower remains open after midnight. Prices vary, but visitors can expect to pay anywhere from $14 (€11) to $20 (€15.5) per person. The ticket includes access to the tower's three public elevators and 704 stairs. Tickets, including those with a discount, can be ordered online or at the box office near the tower.

Practical Information

Location: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France.

Working hours: Sunday - Thursday from 9:30 to 23:00. Friday, Saturday from 9:30 to 00-00.

Ways of travel:

By metro, stops Bir-Hakeim (3 minutes, line 6), Trocadero (5 minutes, line 9), École militaire (5 minutes, line 8);

RER trains: Champs de mars stop (1 minute walk);

Car: If you want to come to the Eiffel Tower by car, we recommend that you park in any of the underground car parks closest to the Eiffel Tower. A good choice is the Quai Branly car park located less than 300 meters from the tower!

The magnificent Eiffel Tower, also known as the "iron lady" of France, is often referred to as one of the wonders of the world. Millions of tourists flock to Paris to spend unforgettable moments looking at this man-made beauty. What is the Eiffel Tower for Parisians? This is the tallest building in France - located near the Seine River. How tall do you think the Eiffel Tower is?

What is the height of the Eiffel Tower?

It can be seen from almost anywhere in Paris. And this is just one of the many charms of this tower. No one will allow himself not to visit the Eiffel Tower when traveling to Paris. Eiffel called it simply - the 300-meter tower. Initially, the "Iron Lady" of France towered 300.65 meters above ground level. Today, its height, together with the new antenna, is 324 meters. It's about 81 floors. And twice as high as the dome of St. Peter's Church in Rome and the pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

Why was the Eiffel Tower built?

The massive tower was built to commemorate the French Revolution by a French engineer named Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. The French authorities decided to organize a world exhibition and turned to a well-known engineer with a request to make a proposal. At first, Eiffel was a little puzzled, but then, rummaging through his papers, he submitted drawings of a massive structure for consideration.

History of creation. What year was the Eiffel Tower built?

Eiffel began building this architectural landmark of Paris on January 26, 1897. 2 years, 2 months and 5 days have passed - and it happened, the tower was completed and opened for public viewing on March 31, 1889, and for visiting citizens and visitors - from May 6th.

Gustave developed a hitherto unseen project 300 meters high, consisting of massive forged gratings. The base of the tower consists of four semicircular arches. The Eiffel Tower is made of pure iron. Gustave Eiffel designed the tower in such a way that its worn parts can be easily replaced. It is interesting to note that a serious storm in 1999 in Paris left behind many damaged monuments, but did not cause any harm to this miracle tower. This masterpiece of engineering required 50 engineers, 5300 blueprints and 121 builders to build.

Eiffel Tower, interesting facts, a brief description

The attitude of the Parisians to the tower was twofold - on the one hand, the building was a stunning and immediate success. During the six months of the exhibition, more than 2 million residents of the city came to see the "iron lady" of Paris. But the creative intelligentsia of France from the very beginning of construction was outraged by the engineer's daring project, and sent indignant messages to the Paris City Hall demanding to abandon the construction of the tower. Writers and artists claimed that it was a "factory chimney" "useless and monstrous" and that they did not want to "look at the hideous shadow of a hated column of iron and screws." Several anecdotes have come down to us from that time. For example, about Guy de Maupassant, who, despite the fact that he did not like the tower, often dined at its restaurant. When asked why he was doing this, the writer replied: "This is the only place in the whole vast Paris where it is not visible."

According to the original contract, the tower was to be dismantled within 20 years from the date of construction. But the "iron lady" was saved from destruction - General Ferrier, fascinated by the possibilities of wireless telegraph, used the tower for his experiments. And the building was left at first for military purposes, and later in 1906 the first radio station was placed here. Since 1922, a radio program began to appear constantly, which was called the Eiffel Tower. The transmission of regular television programs began in 1935. And since 1957, a television antenna has been located on the tower, increasing the original height of the building.

The modern Eiffel Tower is a 108-story marvel of architecture that houses two large restaurants - the very expensive "Jules Verne", awarded one Michelin star (according to the restaurant rating - a very good restaurant), and simpler - "Le Tour Eiffel" with traditional French kitchen (about 65 euros per person for a modest dinner). The large windows of the restaurant overlook the Trocadero. Both the first and second restaurants are some of the most romantic places in the world. This is the dream of many lovers - to spend one unforgettable evening under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, however, you need to book a table in restaurants, respectively, at least a month and two weeks in advance.

Eiffel Tower (France) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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Now no one can imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower, and most Parisians, if they did not love it, then, in any case, managed to come to terms with it. But this was not always the case - after construction, it caused strong discontent among many citizens who found it extremely awkward. Hugo and Maupassant, for example, repeatedly insisted that the tower should be removed from the streets of Paris.

Initially, the building was planned to be dismantled in 1909, 20 years after the construction - but after a stunning commercial success, the tower received an "eternal registration".

However, for most tourists, the Eiffel Tower invariably arouses admiration. Even after 120 years, it remains the tallest building in Paris and the fifth tallest in all of France. Despite its majestic dimensions, its total weight does not exceed 10 thousand tons, it exerts pressure on the ground equal to the pressure of a person sitting on a chair, and if all the metal of the tower is melted into a single block, it will occupy an area of ​​25 by 5 m and will be only 6 cm in height! However, in our time, the construction of a similar structure would require three times less metal at all - technologies do not stand still.

France will be the only country with a 300m flagpole!

Gustave Eiffel

The most patriotic Parisian

During the German occupation, Hitler visited Paris and wanted to climb the Eiffel Tower. However, the Fuhrer's wish did not come true: the elevator broke down just in time, and Hitler left with nothing. After such an embarrassment, the Germans tried to fix the ill-fated lift for 4 years. In vain - the German masters could not figure out the mechanism, and the French only shrugged - there are no spare parts! However, in 1944, just a few hours after the liberation of Paris, the elevator miraculously started working and has been working without interruption to this day.

"Eiffel Brown"

It is curious that the Eiffel Tower is probably the only building in the world that has its own patented color - brown eiffel, giving the tower a bronze tint. Before that, she changed several colors - she was yellow, and red-brown, and ocher. Recently, the tower has been repainted every 7 years, and in total this procedure was carried out 19 times. About 60 tons of paint are needed for each painting (as well as about 1.5 thousand brushes and 2 hectares of protective netting), so over time the tower still continues to gain weight. And not only in weight - due to new antennas, its height is gradually increasing: today it is 324 m, and this is far from the limit.

In fact, the Eiffel Tower is not at all monochromatic, as it might seem at first. It is painted in three different shades of bronze - from the darkest at the first level to the lighter one at the third. This is done so that the tower looks more harmonious against the sky.

Everyone can buy a piece of the Eiffel Tower, and this is not about souvenirs with its image, but about the original itself - since the time of Gustave Eiffel, the Iron Lady has been owned by a private company, and its shares are traded on the stock exchange.

8 attractions in Paris that you can visit for free:

The most talented, thoughtful and successful provocation in architecture - I can’t describe this iron lady in any other way. No, after all, she is not a madam, but a mademoiselle, graceful and slender. In short, the Eiffel Tower - la tour Eiffel!

We are with you in Paris. And, having visited, strolled along, studied the sculptures and commemorative inscriptions on Charles de Gaulle Square, slowly walked along the aristocratic Kleber Avenue to Trocadero Square. A very leisurely walk took only half an hour. And here it is, the Eiffel Tower. “Bergère ô tour Eiffel,” wrote the great French poet Guillaume Apollinaire at the beginning of the 20th century. - "Shepherdess, O Eiffel Tower!"

How to get to the Eiffel Tower

For us, traveling around the capital of France, the Eiffel Tower is located very conveniently. Firstly, as you know, it is visible from everywhere, and secondly, not only ground and underground, but also waterways lead to it and from it. After all, she stands on the banks of the Seine.

Nearby are bus routes No. 82 - stop "Eiffel Tower" ("Tour Efel" - "Tour Eiffel") or "Champs de Mars" ("Champs de Mars"), No. 42 - stop "Eiffel Tower" , No. 87 - stop "Marsovo Pole" and No. 69 - also "Marsovo Pole".

River trams - bato-mouches (bateaux-mouches) - are moored right at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and on the other side of the Seine, near the Alma bridge. Therefore, after you return from heaven (that is, from the tower) to earth, you can continue your acquaintance with Paris on the open deck of a fly-boat that cuts through the waters of the Seine.

There are several metro stations near the big shepherd: Passy, ​​Champs de Mars - Tour Eiffel, Bir-Hakeim, which is named in honor of the battle of the French with the troops of Hitler's General Rommel in May-June 1942 in Libya. However, I highly recommend that you get to the Trocadéro station - it is in the picture above. From here is not the shortest, but the most beautiful walking path to the Eiffel Tower.

A bit of Trocadero

Arriving for the first time in Paris, I did not see any sights on the first day. But it was here, on Trocadero Square, when I stepped out onto the wide esplanade that tore apart the giant horseshoe of the Chaillot Palace, I realized: I really am in Paris! Because in all its glory and in full growth, the main symbol of the Parisian capital opened before me - the Eiffel Tower in light lace from an iron head to stone heels.

Then it seemed to me that I came up with an original angle for photography: you need to lean slightly to the side, put your hand in the same direction, and if the photographer combines you with the tower, then the picture will turn out as if you are leaning on it (the tower). And you and her are almost the same height. Oh, how many such pictures have come across to me over the years since my "discovery"! ..

Take a bunch of photos, admire the stunning view of another architectural axis of Paris: Trocadero - Jena Bridge - Eiffel Tower - Champ de Mars - Military Academy - Place Fontenoy - Sax Avenue (not in honor of the inventor of the saxophone, but in memory of Marshal Moritz of Saxony). And another tower closes this axis - the Montparnasse tower, younger than the Eiffel one... Take your time, especially if you come here, to the esplanade, in the evening. It is especially beautiful here at sunset.

In the meantime, you can look into the Cinema Museum, the Naval Museum and the Museum of Man located in the Palace of Chaillot, and if you walk a little down from the palace and take a little to the left, you will find the "Aquarium of Paris" - they say, as if with all the inhabitants of the French rivers and even with mermaids!

Well, now let's appreciate the Trocadero Park, which stretches right in front of us, with its largest fountain in Paris: among the gilded statues, tons of water escape from dozens of water cannons arranged in a cascade.

In the heat of the summer, I advise you to lie down on the emerald lawn by the fountain and refresh yourself with cool mist before throwing yourself across the Jena bridge to the Eiffel Tower.

History of the Eiffel Tower. world gate

In the meantime, we are refreshing ourselves by the fountain, let's remember where the Eiffel Tower came from.

At the end of the 19th century, a fashion appeared on our planet to hold world exhibitions and show them everything that your country invented the new and preserved the good old. In 1889, the honor of holding such an exhibition fell to France. In addition, the occasion was appropriate - the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. How to surprise guests? The Paris City Hall decided to decorate the entrance to the exhibition with an unusual arch. A competition among French engineers was announced, in which Gustave Eiffel also took part. Here he is in the picture.

To be honest, Eiffel himself had no ideas about decorating the exhibition gates. But talented employees worked in the engineering bureau he headed. For example, Maurice Koechlin, who had a drawing of a high-rise tower lying around. It was taken, as they say, as a basis. Calling on the help of another colleague, Emile Nouguier (Émile Nouguier), polished the project to a shine. And they won the competition, eclipsing more than a hundred competitors! Among them is the one who proposed to build the gates of the exhibition in the form of a giant guillotine. And what is wrong? Anniversary of the Revolution!

True, the city authorities wanted something more elegant than just a metal structure, even if it was very high-tech. And then Eiffel turned to the architect Stephen Sauvestre. He added architectural excesses to the tower project, which made it irresistible: arches, a rounded top, stone-trimmed supports ... In January 1887, the Paris City Hall and the Eiffel shook hands, and construction began.

It went on at an incredible pace even by today's times - in two years and two months the tower was ready. Moreover, it was assembled from 18,038 parts with the help of 2.5 million rivets, only 300 workers. It's all about the precise organization of labor: Eiffel made the most accurate drawings and ordered the main parts of the tower to be prepared for installation on the ground. Moreover, with drilled holes and for the most part rivets already inserted into them. And there, in the skies, high-rise assemblers had only to dock the details of this giant constructor.

The World Exhibition in Paris worked for six months. During this time, 2 million people came to look at the tower and from it to the city. Despite the protests of 300 representatives of the cultural community (including Maupassant, Dumas son, Charles Gounod), who believed that the tower was disfiguring Paris, by the end of 1889, the year the tower was born, they managed to “recapture” 75 percent of the costs of its construction. Taking into account the fact that Eiffel received another 25 percent from the city treasury already at the conclusion of the contract, the successful engineer was able to immediately move on to making money with the help of his iron brainchild. Indeed, under the same agreement with the city hall, the tower was leased to Gustave Eiffel for a quarter of a century! It is not surprising that he soon bought out from his fellow co-authors all the rights to their seemingly common idea and was even able to afford to equip an apartment on its last, third floor.

In this dwelling in seventh heaven, the Eiffel hosted the famous American inventor Thomas Edison in 1899. They say that their meeting - with coffee, cognac and cigars - lasted ten hours. But I saw with my own eyes: they are sitting there, at the very top of the tower, until now! And the maid on the sidelines froze in anticipation: what else do the gentlemen of the engineers want? But the engineers also froze in their age-old conversation. Are they waxy?

Check it out for sure! It's time to start climbing.

Now up

The tower does not know holidays and weekends, it is open to visitors every day in winter from 9.30 to 23.00, and in summer from 9.00 to 24.00.

I will warn you right away: the queue for tickets to the Eiffel Tower can be long: two or three hours (look at the photo).

It is best to come here in the evening, when the tower is beautiful not only with the pre-sunset views from it, but also with some decline in the tourist flow, washing all four of its pillars. By the way, they also have cash registers. After 20.00, you can spend only an hour and a half in line, or even an hour.

There is an option to order tickets online. Although on the Eiffel Tower website, tickets are usually sold out a month in advance. But then you do not have to waste precious Parisian time under the iron hem of the shepherdess of the clouds reflected in the Seine. True, you will have to pay her a visit exactly at the time indicated on the ticket. This is not an exaggeration: if you are late, they will not let you into any floor and your ticket will be cancelled.

Tickets cost the same at the box office and on the website. I ask you very much: do not buy tickets with your hands. Never and none! And in general, do not buy anything in Paris with your hands. Just roasted chestnuts.

Know and remember:

• climb on the elevator to 3rd floor The Eiffel Tower, to the very top, costs 17 euros for an adult, 14.5 euros for teenagers and youth from 12 to 24 years old, 8 euros for children from 4 to 11 years old;
• lift to the 2nd floor: adults - 11 euros, teenagers and youth from 12 to 24 years old - 8.5 euros, children from 4 to 11 years old - 4 euros;
• stairs to 2nd floor: adults - 7 euros, teenagers and youth from 12 to 24 years old - 5 euros, children from 4 to 11 years old - 3 euros. Keep in mind: when climbing stairs, you will have to climb 1674 steps. Kicks!

Prices for group visits are exactly the same, only 20 people are entitled to a free guide.

To get to the very, very top, tell the usher the word "sommet" (some), that is, "top". And if the third floor is not closed for repairs, you will go there without delay on the second floor, where you would have to buy a ticket again - now at the mark of "276 meters".

Go!

Having stood in line or having reached the deadline for your e-ticket, you enter the elevator. It will be one of two historic elevators installed in 1899 by Fives-Lill. He will take you to the second floor. And from there you will go higher on a more modern (1983) Otis elevator.

What, it would seem, can be seen on the Eiffel Tower? Not from her, but on her. Believe me, you should look not only from top to bottom, but also from side to side.

First floor of the Eiffel Tower

The Gustave Eiffel Salon was recently renovated here, and now it can accommodate from 200 participants of any conference to 300 buffet guests. Do you want to sit down? The hall accommodates 130 guests for dinner. For a private lunch (from 50 euros) or dinner (from 140 euros), you can book a table at the 58 tour Eiffel restaurant. The number in the name is not without reason - at such a height (in meters) is the institution. Its charm is also that the cost of your rise on a separate (!) Elevator is already included in the restaurant bill.

Here, on the first floor, a transparent floor appeared in 2013, so look ... Look, no matter how dizzy you are! Here you will be shown the performance “About the Universe of the Eiffel Tower” projected onto three walls by seven spotlights. Nearby there is a recreation area where you can sit down, there are shops where you can buy souvenirs. At exorbitant prices, but on the Eiffel Tower itself. And also, they say, in the winter, a skating rink is poured on the ground floor!

Second floor of the Eiffel Tower

Here, in addition to a wonderful overview of Paris, you will be offered to dine or dine at the Jules Verne restaurant (the entrance to the elevator that will take you personally to it is in the picture). The great science fiction writer and inventor, who predicted many inventions that are now familiar, is immortalized by a catering point at a height of 115 meters. The prices here, however, are also fantastic: two times higher than the floor below. Expensive? Both on the first and second floors there are buffets with "homemade sandwiches", pastries and drinks - hot and cold.

Third floor of the Eiffel Tower

And finally, the third floor will offer you to celebrate the ascent to the highest point in Paris with a glass of champagne at an exorbitant price - from 12 to 21 euros per 100 grams. In addition, you can see Eiffel’s apartment through the glass (where he is still talking with Edison), look closely at the antennas that dotted the head of the iron shepherdess, and make sure that it was from here that the first radio broadcast went on the air in 1921, and in 1935 - television signal.

Another personal tip: we decided to climb the third floor of the Eiffel Tower - take warm clothes with you, even if the streets of Paris are extremely hot. At almost 300 meters high, a piercing cold wind blows. And the tower bends and creaks. Just kidding, it doesn't creak. It bends, but deviates only 15-20 centimeters at the highest point - at a height of 324 meters.

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Here's what's surprising: the Mayor's Office of Paris signed an agreement with Gustave Eiffel for 20 years, and after that the tower was ordered to be dismantled. Where there! Who would allow! Everyone got used to it, fell in love with it... In 1910, Eiffel extended the lease agreement for the tower for another 70 years.

The controversy surrounding the Parisian shepherdess has long subsided, in 1923 its creator died, but she still stands and does not rust. Because it is repainted every few years, spending up to 60 tons of paint in a special “brown-eiffel” color scheme. And already a long time ago no one can imagine Paris without this windy mademoiselle.

As we flew up to the heavens and descended from the clouds to the earth, night fell. This means that we are waiting for you.