Brief History
The Eiffel Tower is an iron tower built beside the River Seine in Paris. It is the tallest structure in Paris (1,063 ft including antenna) and the most visited monument in the world - over 200,000,000 visitors since its construction.
Gustav Eiffel designed the structure for the 1889 World’s Fair marking France’s centennial celebration. It took three hundred workers two years to join together 18,038 pieces of puddle iron using two and a half million rivets.
The tower was met with public resistance when built – many called it an eyesore. The City had planned to tear it down (part of the original contest rules for designing a tower was that it could be easily demolished) but as the tower proved valuable for communication purposes, it was allowed to remain. During the Nazi occupation of Paris in 1940, the elevator cables were cut by the French so that Hitler would have to climb the steps to the top. The parts needed for repair were allegedly impossible to obtain due to the war, but the elevators were working within hours of the departure of the Nazis. When to Go
Paris is extremely popular in the summer; in fact it can get quite crowded. Best times to avoid the crowds and still enjoy fairly decent weather are late spring and early fall.
Currency
The official currency is the Euro.
Passport/Visa Requirements
A passport valid six months or longer after return is required for US citizens. Additional documentation may be required for other countries.
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