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Photo: Benh LIEU SONG, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.How well do you know the Eiffel Tower? Test your knowledge on the history, engineering, and cultural impact of Paris's most iconic landmark.
Base Camp Visitor 0–4 · Summit Explorer 5–8 · Master of the Iron Lady 9–10
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The tower was built as the centerpiece and gateway for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. It was meant to be temporary, but its height and strategic value saved it from destruction. Today, it remains Paris's ultimate symbol.
Photo: M.S. (monogramme), dessinateur Imprimerie A. Maulde et Cie, imprimeur Unknown au, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
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Victor Lustig read about the tower's high upkeep costs and forged government papers to convince a scrap dealer he was selling it. The tricked buyer was too embarrassed to go to the police, so Lustig came back to try the same scam again, but this time the police were tipped off and he fled to America. He is remembered as one of the most daring con artists in history.
Photo: Page from a 1935 Philadelphia newspaper, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
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The Chrysler Building in New York City took the title of the world's tallest structure in 1930, ending the Eiffel Tower's 41-year reign. However, the Chrysler Building only held the record for 11 months before being surpassed by the Empire State Building.
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Because it is made of puddle iron, the tower reacts strongly to temperature changes. Summer heat causes the metal to expand, making the structure grow by up to 15 centimeters and tilt slightly away from the sun. In winter, the cold causes the metal to contract and shrink.
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The replica in Nevada was originally planned to be full-sized, but airport proximity forced designers to scale it down to half scale. It stands at an impressive 165 meters. Interestingly, the legs of the Las Vegas tower actually go right through the ceiling of the casino floor below.
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Guy de Maupassant was one of many artists who signed a fierce public protest against the tower. Despite his hatred, he frequently dined at the tower's restaurant. When asked why, he famously quipped that it was the only place in Paris where he did not have to look at the structure.
Photo: Nadar, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
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Gustave Eiffel had the names of 72 prominent French scientists, engineers, and mathematicians engraved on the first floor to honor their contributions. The names were painted over in the early 20th century but were beautifully restored to their original gold glory during a 1980s renovation.
Photo: Benh LIEU SONG, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, two senior engineers working for Gustave Eiffel's company, came up with the initial design. Eiffel was initially uninterested but later bought the patent rights. Architect Stephen Sauvestre was then brought in to add the decorative arches and artistic touches.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
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Stephen Sauvestre was hired to make the stark structural design of Koechlin and Nouguier more appealing to the public. He added the monumental arches at the base, a glass-walled hall on the first platform, and the cupola at the top, giving the tower its beloved aesthetic.
Photo: d'après photographie de M. Gerschel, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
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The Washington Monument held the record at 169 meters until the Eiffel Tower reached its full height of 300 meters in 1889. It held the title of world's tallest man-made structure for over four decades until the Chrysler Building in New York surpassed it in 1930.
Photo: Greyfiveys, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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