te architecture that has survived in modern Paris. Once the exposition was over, plans were made to destroy the Eiffel Tower. The monument that brought so much displeasure because it represented that which was modern, new, and very un-Parisian, was actually saved by technological advances. Engineers realized that the structure would make a perfect broadcasting tower. The tower gets its name from Gustave Eiffel, the man who designed the monument, and also did the girder work for the Statue of Liberty now in New York harbor. Looking at its open frame, it comes as no surprise that Eiffel was a bridge engineer when he entered the competition along with 100 other people to design this lasting monument to French culture. In fact, it took just two years and 300 steel workers for it to reach its pre-television height of 984 feet. The construction work began in January 1887 and was finished on March 31 1889. In spite of this height, the Eiffel Tower has just four floors. All are served by specially designed elevators that, instead of running up a vertical track, move along a curve dictated by the tower's sloping form. Reaching the top level presents visitors with a visual delight -- a 40-mile view of Paris. The Tower is made of 12,000 pieces of pre-formed steel put together like a big puzzle. It was the first tower tall enough that it had to be designed to counter the effects of wind. At 300 meters (320.75 m including antenna), 1652 steps to the top, and 7000 tons, it was the world’s tallest building until 1930. A piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower is sealed in a time capsule at the top of the John Hancock building in Chicago. The tower has been used for many purposes. The three areas that Eiffel put the Tower to work include: meteorology- the Tower was used as a weather station; radiotelegraphy – the Tower was used as a radio broadcasting station; and aerodynamics – the Tower was used as a means to observe objects falli...
