The Eiffel Tower was designed and built by French engineer Gustave Eiffel and his team of engineers for the 1889 Paris World's Fair, celebrating the centenary of the French Revolution. Construction of the Eiffel Tower began in January 1887 and was completed in March 1889, in a record time of just over two years.
Here is a summary of the construction process:
Design and Planning: The design of the Eiffel Tower was created by engineers Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, employees of Gustave Eiffel's company. The design was selected from more than 100 proposals for the Universal Exhibition.
Iron Structure: The tower is made of wrought iron and was built using more than 18,000 pieces of iron, held together by 2.5 million rivets. All parts were prefabricated in workshops and then assembled at the construction site.
Construction: Construction began with the erection of the tower legs, using scaffolding and special cranes designed for the purpose. Innovative techniques were used to assemble the iron pieces on site, including the use of hot rivets.
Section Assembly: The tower sections were assembled from the bottom up, using temporary scaffolding and specialized equipment. Each section was assembled and secured before moving on to the next.
Completion and Finishing: Once the main structure was completed, decorative details were added and paint was applied. Initially, the Eiffel Tower was painted rust red, but was later changed to its signature gray color.
The Eiffel Tower was an engineering feat for its time and became an iconic symbol of France and the city of Paris. Although initially criticized by some, it has become one of the most recognized and visited structures in the world.
