Eiffel Tower

When we hear about Paris, it's the Eiffel tower that strikes us first..
- In 1888 A.D the governing body of Paris decided to organise a `World Fair` to mark the 100 year anniversary of French Revolution.

- The `World fair` committee called for a monument to be set up on the occasion. Hundreds of proposals poured in of which the blue print of `Eiffel tower` was selected.

- Many think that Gustav Eiffel has designed the tower. But the fact is than an engineer named Maurice Koechlin in the team of Eiffel designed the tower.

- The project of Eiffel tower was critisised by many intellectuals. They thought it to be a waste of money and human effort. A society called `Committee of Three Hundred` was formed to fight against the construction of Eiffel tower.

- Despite all odds Eiffel Tower was completed in just 17 months and was inaugurated on march 1889. At the time of inauguration it was almost 1000 feet high. And was the tallest manmade structure by the time.

- Eiffel tower was supposed to be dismantled after twenty years. But as the radio communications were spreading, the tower found to be serve as a station for emitting radio and telegraph signals.

- Hitler during the second world war ordered to demolish the Eiffel tower as it was the pride of his enemy. But his general refused to carry the order.

- The statistics of Eiffel tower leave us spellbound. It was made of 18000 metallic parts held together by 2.5 million rivets. It needs almost 50 thousand kilos to paint it, which is done once in every seven years

- With an average of 25 thousand visitors per day, its estimated that 250 million people has visited the tower since its inaugural. Some 500 employees are on duty for its maintainence.