[Music]
Eiffel Tower one of the most
recognizable structures in the world a
global landmark a symbol of France but
why was it built organizers of that 1889
World's Fair which commemorated the 100
anniversary of the French Revolution
wanted a centerpiece for World's Fair
but initially centerpiece was only going
to be a temporary structure the
organizers staged an open competition to
design a centerpiece for World's Fair
with over 107 proposals in 1885 Eiffel
presented a paper on his proposal after
discussing the problems on emphasizing
the practical use of the Tower
he finished his tart by single at I
would symbolize not only the art of
modern engineer but also the century of
Industry and science in which we are
living and for which the whale was
purred by the great scientific movement
of the 18th century and by the
revolution of 1789 to which this
monument will be built as an expression
of France's gratitude a budget for the
exhibition was passed as well their
nouns are alternative to the terms of
open competition which was being held
for less than a piece for the exhibition
affectionately made the choice of apples
design a foregone conclusion with all
entries had to include a structure of
300 metres and be a four-sided metal
tower on the sharp DeMars contracts were
finally signed on at 8 for January 1887
to build the tower this was signed by
Eiffel acting in his own capacity rather
than a representative of his company and
granted him 1.5 million towards the cost
of the construction Eiffel was to
receive all income from the commercial
exploitation of the tower during the
exhibition on for the following 20 years
construction started on the foundation
of the tower on that 22 April January
1887 the construction started off
straightforward for the south leg of the
tower but followed over two legs because
they were closer to the river there were
more complicated each slab needed two
piles installed using compressed air
canisters the foundations were completed
by the 30th of June and the erection of
the ironwork begun by December 1887 or
shorter on the legs with scaffolding has
died by March 1888 a critical stage of
joining the four legs at the first level
was completed by the end of March a mere
18 a the start of the construction of
the second stage in August 18 a a
completion of the second level in
December 18 a a construction of the
upper stages in March 1889 and Tarot was
topped out despite the criticism and the
minilab strikes during the construction
of the tower the tower was built in
little over two years but the tower
wasn't ready for the World's Fair we've
worked still being done on particularly
on the lifts and facilities in the tower
and the tower was not open to the public
until nine days after the opening of the
exhibition on the 6th of May
but even with the delays the tower still
became an instant success for the public
with 30,000 visitors making the 1710
steps climb to the top of the tower
before the lifts enter service on 26th
of May and by the end of the exhibition
that had been over 1.8 million visitors
on the original plans Eiffel had a
permit for the tower to stand for 20
years the tower was then to be
dismantled in 1909 with the ownership
reverting back to a city like Paris
where they say it had planned to tear it
down with a London deeming to be too
valuable for such a structure but as a
tower proved to be viable for
communication pivot ease for both
military and other purposes that the
city let it stand after the payment had
expired with the outbreak of the First
World War the tower was transformed into
a merchant radio and telegraph center
with its lease be renewed by another 70
years and the tourists continue to flock
to the structure but by the 1980s thanks
to mismanagement the tower has fallen
into disrepair with the renovations
costing the play eight million which
took place between 1980 and 1983 two
dead the Eiffel Tower is a success for
fir with last year seeing more than 4.5
million people visiting it I think of
that increased since the 1980s the tower
has become a symbol of France
[Music]