Today we’re talking about the one, the only, and the iconic guardian of Paris. Built in two years for the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1889, it represents France around the world and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991.
Between the Champ-de-Mars and the Seine, it occupies a prime position in the Parisian landscape. The district is home to many museums, including the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée du Quai Branly, as well as many official and political institutions and religious buildings.
Anecdotes and curiosities about the Iron Lady
1. Who built the tower?
In June 1884, two Eiffel engineers, Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, designed a project for a 300-meter metal tower in the hope of presenting it at the 1889 Exposition. Gustave Eiffel, initially uninterested, supported the project after a few modifications, and they filed a patent in September 1884. Although Gustave Eiffel did not design the tower, he played a key role in its realization, publicizing it and funding scientific experiments from the tower.
2. An essential antenna
The scientific potential of this metal tower attracted the attention of the authorities in 1910, prompting them to extend its operation for a further 70 years. Its strategic role during the First World War (it was the highest point in the Paris region) is invaluable. She helped intercept decisive messages, counter a German attack and arrest Mata Hari. In 1921, Radio Tour Eiffel officially inaugurated radio programs broadcast from the tower, then became the setting for the beginnings of television in France. And finally, in 2005, a transmitter for digital terrestrial television (DTT) was installed.
3. A major monument
In 1889, the year of its official completion, only three structures in the world reached or exceeded 150 metres, which is only half its height: Rouen Cathedral(150 metres), Cologne Cathedral (157 metres), and the Washington Obelisk (169 metres). At 300 metres, it far surpassed all other major world buildings of the time, and remained the world’s tallest monument for 40 years, until the Chrysler Building was built in 1930 at a height of 319 metres. For its time, this was a real technical feat, a symbol of French know-how.
Candlelight concerts at the Salon Gustave Eiffel
You dreamt it, they did it. Candlelight strikes again in France with Candlelight Premium. This time, the incubator of brilliant concepts is taking things up a notch (or rather, a floor) and occupying the prestigious Salon Gustave Eiffel. The new host of choice for candlelit concerts is therefore perched on the second floor of the Iron Lady, the number 1 symbol of our national heritage.
Not only does it boast a breathtaking view of the Seine and Paris’s most iconic monuments, it also boasts ideal acoustics, up to Candlelight’s high standards. In a setting that contrasts perfectly with the contemporary or classical musical repertoire, at the heart of a unique venue: a transparent case with a panoramic view, you are invited to take part in a dizzying musical experience. From pop and rock to classical music, there’s something for everyone !
What else can you do in Mr Eiffel’s tower?
A symbol of France and the city of Paris, the building has been visited by over 300 million tourists since it opened. You can take the stairs for the more adventurous, or choose one of the elevators and explore the floors for a unique view of the city. Beware of vertigo!
And for the past few years, Le Jules Verne, the Eiffel Tower’s restaurant, has been welcoming you to the second floor of the Iron Lady for lunch or dinner 125 meters above ground, with a breathtaking view. A unique gastronomic experience, to share on a date for the most romantic, with friends or family.
Candlelight concerts have always unearthed the most emblematic places to offer you a complete immersion in music. This time, the famous candlelit concerts everyone’s been talking about managed to climb 57 meters above the ground, to the second floor of the emblematic Eiffel Tower, in the ultra-exclusive setting of the Salon Gustave Eiffel.