Eiffel Tower Facts & Worksheets

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The Eiffel Tower is a wrought-iron tower with latticework that stands on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It bears the name of Gustave Eiffel, an engineer whose company planned and constructed the tower. Locally known as “La dame de fer,” it was built between 1887 and 1889 as the centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair (French for “Iron Lady”). Since then, it has developed into one of the most iconic buildings in the world and a representation of France over the world.

Keep reading to learn more about the Eiffel Tower, or alternatively, download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Facts & Information

Origin

• When the French government arranged the International Exposition of 1889 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, a competition for the designs of a suitable monument was held. The famous bridge engineer Gustave Eiffel’s concept, was chosen by the Centennial Committee out of more than 100 others that were submitted.
• Two senior engineers who worked at the Compagnie des Établissements Eiffel, Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier, are credited with designing the Eiffel Tower.
• The two engineers then requested input from the company’s architectural department head, Stephen Sauvestre. The tower’s foundation was embellished with decorative arches, while Sauvestre added the first level’s glass pavilion and other features.

Construction

• On January 28, 1887, the foundation construction process began. On June 30, the foundations were finished, and the ironwork erection got underway.
• The vast amount of meticulous planning done in advance of the visible work on-site was a complement to it: the drawing office created 1,700 general drawings and 3,629 detailed drawings of the 18,038 pieces required.

Inauguration and the 1889 exposition

• The end of March 1889 saw the completion of the main structural construction, and to mark the occasion, Gustave Eiffel led a delegation of government officials and journalists to the top of the tower.
• A 25-gun salute was fired at the first level at 2:35 p.m. as Eiffel raised a huge Tricolor.
• The tower gained popularity quickly with the general public; before the lifts went into operation on May 26, approximately 30,000 people took the 1,710-step trek to the top.
• There were 1,896,987 visitors by the time the exhibition closed, with entrance costing 2 francs for the bottom level, 3 for the middle level, and 5 for the top level.
• Le Figaro de la Tour, a special souvenir edition, was printed on the printing press on the second level, where the French newspaper Le Figaro also had an office. There was a post office at the top where people could send letters and postcards as souvenirs of their trip.

Design

• The weight of the Eiffel Tower’s puddle iron is 7,300 tonnes, and with the addition of the lifts, stores, and antennae, the total weight is now around 10,100 tonnes. The top of the tower could move away from the sun by up to 18 cm (7 in) depending on the surrounding temperature as a result of the metal’s thermal expansion on the sun-facing side.
• Instead of using a mathematical calculation, Eiffel used graphical methods to assess the tower’s strength and empirical data to account for the impacts of wind. The tower’s parts were overdesigned to achieve the greatest possible resistance to wind forces. Even the assumption was made that the top half had no gaps in the latticework. The wind can cause the Eiffel Tower to shake up to 9 cm (3.5 in).
• The French, Russian, and Flemish restaurants were all on the first floor when it was first constructed. After the fair, the Flemish restaurant was renovated into a 250-seat theater. The first level’s perimeter was surrounded by a promenade that was 2.6 meters (8 feet 6 inches) wide promenade. A tiny apartment that was set aside for Gustave Eiffel to host guests and had laboratories for various experiments is now accessible to the general public.
• From the base of the Eiffel Tower, you can go to the second floor using the stairs. That equates to precisely 674 steps. There are 1665 steps from the promenade leading to the Eiffel Tower’s second story; however this stairway is not accessible to the general public. The steps must be climbed in between 30 and 45 minutes to reach the second story.
• Three distinct colors have been used to paint the tower, brighter at the top and darker near the bottom, to resemble the color of the Parisian sky. It was originally reddish-brown before becoming “Eiffel Tower Brown” in 1968. The four decorative grill-work arches Sauvestre added to his sketches to give the tower a more substantial appearance and to create an impressive entry to the exhibition are the sole non-structural components.
• The Eiffel Tower has served as Paris’ and, ultimately, France’s powerful and distinctive symbol for 130 years. When it was initially constructed for the 1889 World’s Fair, it dazzled everyone with its size and audacious design and stood for French innovation and industrial skills.
• When it was finished in 1889, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest building in the world, a title it held until 1929, when the Chrysler Building in New York City topped out. The tower also lost its title as the world’s tallest tower to the Tokyo Tower in 1958, but it continues to hold the title of France’s tallest freestanding (non-guyed) structure.

Tourism

• Since the tower’s construction was finished in 1889, more than 250 million people have visited it. There were 6.91 million travelers in 2015. The tower is the world’s most popular paid monument. Long queues can develop due to the tower’s daily average of 25,000 visitors.
• Le 58 Tour Eiffel, a simple restaurant, is situated on the tower’s first level, and Le Jules Verne, a gourmet dining venue with a separate lift, is situated on the second. From 1937 until 1981, a restaurant was located not far from the top of the tower. Due to structural concerns, it was taken out because experts found it too heavy, causing the tower to slump.

Eiffel Tower Worksheets

This bundle contains 11 ready-to-use Eiffel Tower Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about the Eiffel Tower, which is one of the most famous and well-known monuments in modern history and is the source of many questions among children and adults alike.

Download includes the following worksheets:

• Facts
• Paris, France
• The World’s Fair
• Inventions from the World’s Fairs
• Be an Inventor
• Building the Eiffel Tower
• Make Your Own Monument
• The Eiffel Tower by the Numbers
• The Eiffel Tower by More Numbers
• Landmarks in Paris
• Eiffel Tower Timeline

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Eiffel Tower famous?

The Eiffel Tower has served as Paris’ and, ultimately, France’s powerful and distinctive symbol for 130 years. When it was initially constructed for the 1889 World’s Fair, it dazzled everyone with its size and audacious design and stood for French innovation and industrial skills.

What are five facts about the Eiffel Tower?

It bears the name of Gustave Eiffel, an engineer whose company planned and constructed the tower. It was established between 1887 and 1889 as the focal point of the 1889 World’s Fair and was known locally as “La dame de fer” (French for “Iron Lady”). It was reddish-brown initially before becoming “Eiffel Tower Brown” in 1968. There are 1665 steps from the promenade leading to the Eiffel Tower’s second story. To reach the second story, the steps must be climbed in between 30 and 45 minutes to reach the second story. The Eiffel Tower was the tallest tower in the world when it was completed in 1889.

Is the Eiffel Tower a 7 Wonders of the World?

Since the tower’s construction was finished in 1889, more than 250 million people have visited it. There were 6.91 million travelers in 2015. The tower is the world’s most popular paid monument. Long queues can develop due to the tower’s daily average of 25,000 visitors.

What is inside the Eiffel Tower?

Le 58 Tour Eiffel, a simple restaurant, is situated on the tower’s first level, and Le Jules Verne, a gourmet dining venue with a separate lift, is situated on the second. A champagne bar is at the very top of the Eiffel Tower.

How many steps are in the Eiffel Tower?

There are 1665 steps to the esplanade of the Eiffel Tower. The stairs to the very top are not open to the public.

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Link will appear as Eiffel Tower Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 23, 2017