Today we’re talking about the one, the only, and the iconic guardian of Paris. Built in two years for the 1889 Paris Universal Exhibition, it represents France to the world and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991.
Set between the Champ-de-Mars and the Seine, it occupies a prime position in the Parisian landscape. In its arrondissement you’ll find numerous 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, conceived a project for a 300-metre metal tower, in the hope of presenting it at the 1889 Exposition. Gustave Eiffel, initially uninterested, eventually 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 financing scientific experiments from the tower.
2. An essential antenna
The tower’s scientific potential caught 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) was invaluable. It 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 (TNT) was installed.
3. A monument of stature
In 1889, the year it was officially completed, 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, it was a real technical feat, a symbol of French know-how.
🎹 Don’t miss this exceptional piano in the Gustave Eiffel Salon
During two Candlelight concerts featuring film music, you’ll have the chance to discover the organic sounds of the Alpange piano. Born in the French Alps from the creative minds of Raphaël Soudre and Franck Bacquet in 2017, Alpange is much more than a piano: it’s a one-of-a-kind creation that combines revolutionary technology and sonic depth to deliver a captivating, authentic and unforgettable musical experience.
Its creators, two music enthusiasts, have combined the best of technology with the best of the piano to create a cutting-edge instrument that incorporates unique acoustic technology and innovative features accessible via its mobile application. This is a rare opportunity to listen to and admire the unique sounds of this magnificent instrument in a Gustave Eiffel salon covered in thousands of candles.
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Candlelight in the Salon Gustave Eiffel
You dreamed it, they did it. Candlelight has struck again in France with Candlelight Premium. This time, the incubator of brilliant concepts is taking things up a notch (or rather, a floor) and investing in the prestigious Salon Gustave Eiffel. The new host of choice for candlelit concerts is perched on the second floor of the Iron Lady, the number 1 symbol of France’s national heritage.
What else can you do in Mr. Eiffel’s tower?
This symbol of France and the city of Paris has been open to visitors since its opening, and has already welcomed over 300 million tourists. 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 be shared on a date for the more romantic, with friends or family.
Candlelight concerts have always sought out the most emblematic venues to offer you a complete immersion in music. This time, the famous candlelight concerts everyone’s talking about have managed to rise 57 meters above the ground, to the second floor of the emblematic Eiffel Tower, in the ultra-exclusive setting of the Salon Gustave Eiffel.