Interesting Information and Facts About the Eiffel Tower for Kids

Studies about the Eiffel Tower and its impact on contemporary culture have frequently been mentioned in the art and literature of famous artists and authors worldwide. The tower’s unique appearance and debatable function can be a subject of analysis for years to come. However, with 6.8 million visitors each year and 250 million visitors since its construction, the great importance of the Eiffel Tower to France’s tourism industry and matter of national pride cannot be certainly undermined. These amazing facts about Eiffel Tower will introduce you to its structure, history, measurement, and cultural significance.

What Is the Eiffel Tower? 

The Eiffel Tower stands on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France, and is situated in the 7th arrondissement on the banks of River Seine. Here are a few lesser-known facts about the monument:

• It was constructed to be the key exhibit of the Paris Exposition of 1889, an international exhibition. The tower was initially intended to exist for only 20 years. However, it was left to stand as it was used to transmit radio programs.
• Among the 100 plans of monument design submitted in the competition, the Centennial Committee of Paris Exposition selected the artistic composition of bridge engineer Gustave Eiffel. After its completion, the Eiffel Tower served as the gateway to the exposition.
• It is painted in three shades, and the colors get darker towards the bottom to prevent rusting.
• A tourist from the top of the tower can see as far as 42 miles or 67 kilometers around Paris.

Who Built the Eiffel Tower? 

Here are some facts about the builder and designer of the architectural marvel:

• The Eiffel Tower was designed by an engineer and architect named Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel; hence, it is named after him.
• His company led the planning and construction of the iconic tower. 

What Does the Eiffel Tower Represent or Symbolize?

The Eiffel tower symbolized the conquest of Paris by German troops in 1940, then the liberation of Paris in 1944. Apart from this, here is also what it signifies:

• It is a testament to the French industrial ingenuity in the international arena. 
• Its lights are also turned on and off to reflect the commemoration of important world events.
• For 30 years, the tower has stood as France’s powerful and distinctive national heritage symbol.

What Was the Eiffel Tower Used for?

While the tower is now a famous tourist attraction, it was initially built for different purposes. Here are some facts:

• Two small laboratories were set up on the tower’s third level for astronomers and meteorologists to study stars and weather. Eiffel conducted his experiments as well.
• In the 1950s, a radio transmitter was erected at the top of the Eiffel Tower to transmit communication and satellite signals across the surrounding area. It’s now used to broadcast programmers.
• The great height of the Eiffel Tower was used for conducting experiments involving temperature, pressure, and radiotelegraphy.
• The Eiffel Tower was used as a platform to showcase the daring skills of some artists. In 1889 a man walked on stilts to climb 704 steps of the tower. Three trapeze artists swung 400 feet aboveground from the tower with ropes and without a safety net in 1952. A man roller-skated off a tower platform set up under the first level down a 90-foot-tall ramp to the ground in 2010.
• The French military used the Eiffel Tower’s radio and telegraph center to communicate with ground troops and battleships during World War I. In 1916 the French military picked up a towering message about a notorious female spy, Mata Hari, and used the information to track down and arrest her.
• In 2015, the Iron Lady was given an environmentally friendly makeover by installing two wind turbines on its second level. These devices converted wind into electricity for the shops and restaurants present in the tower. It also has a system for rainwater recycling for its washrooms.

Why Is the Eiffel Tower Famous? 

The Eiffel tower has become incredibly famous as a landmark for lovers from all around the world. Ever wondered how it became so famous? Here are some facts:

• The use of iron makes it a hallmark of modern architecture that represents progress, technology, and the future.
• The 324 meters high Eiffel Tower provided Paris with the most distinguishable look that became an enduring symbol of Paris. 
• Due to the presence of escalators, the building could be used as a tower from which Parisians and other visitors could enjoy a panoramic view of the city.
• Since it’s open to people of diverse social backgrounds, the Eiffel Tower is truly democratic and not only available to the wealthy class.
• The three platforms of the Eiffel Tower hosts two restaurants, many buffets, one banquet hall and champagne bar, and some gifting shops.

How Was the Eiffel Tower Constructed? 

Gustave’s mathematical calculations were used to build this tower with security features like guard rails and screens:

• Eiffel designed a light, airy but formidable structure using his advanced knowledge of the behavior of metal arch and metal truss forms under pressure.
• The 1853-built Latting Observatory of New York City is the main inspiration behind Eiffel’s design of the famous tower.
• The use of wrought iron for building the tower makes the structure relatively light. Three hundred workers were employed to fit 18038 iron pieces with 2.5 million rivets.
• The four foundations of the building were started simultaneously and built over heavy blocks of concrete. These could carry the load of 4 masonry bases used to transit the heavy metal structures. The pillars were constructed over the pedestals that contained the warden’s room, technical rooms of the elevators. There was a problem of inclination at the starting point of pillars as they should meet the first level at the same altitude without any gap.
• Hydraulic cylinders were installed at the feet of pedestals, and wooden scaffolding was used to overcome the problem of inclination.
• The rest of the floors were assembled in the same way as the first floor. A hoist was deployed to mount the rooms on the first floor. 
• As the railway lifts stopped on the second floor, it was constructed differently – two hanging lifts were used to mount the visitors to the top while the crane was used to take external load by the crane. The construction of stairs and elevators was facilitated by a wooden staircase established along the beams of elevators, and spiral staircases were installed from the first floor.
• The tower was built in two years by a small labor force and involved a minimum cost of7,799,401 francs in 1889. In modern currencies, this would estimate to be about 32 million euros.
• The Eiffel Tower stands on four lattice girder piers that taper inward and form a single large vertical tower. As they curve inward, the piers are connected by a network of girders at two levels used as tourist viewing platforms. The semicircular arches at the base of the tower serve no structural functions, and their unique shape is a result of engineering considerations and Eiffel’s artistic sense.

How Long Did It Take to Build the Eiffel Tower? 

Building a structure as stunning as the Eiffel Tower must have taken a long time, right? Here is how long it took:

• The construction of the Eiffel Tower started on January 28, 1887
• The construction was completed on March 31, 1889.
• So, it took two years, two months, and five days to build the tower.

How Big and Tall Is the Eiffel Tower?

The Eiffel Tower is spectacular because of how tall it is, giving you a view of the entire city of Paris. But how tall is it? Here are some facts:

• The tower is a perfect and astonishing 300m, or 984ft, in height.
• If you include the pointed tip of the tower, it is 324m or 1063ft, which means that just the pointed structure is a whopping 24m or 79ft!
• The base of the tower is 125m wide, or 410ft.
• Each pillar on the ground is 25m, or 82ft, wide.

Other Fun Facts and Information About the Eiffel Tower for Children 

Here are some fun Eiffel Tower facts for children that inspire curiosity by bringing the world into your home.

1. 1. The Eiffel Tower was the tallest man-made structure in the world till 1930. It is the second-highest structure in France, and its height is 1000ft.
   2. There are 5 billion lights installed on the Eiffel Tower.
   3. Although the tower was built to sway in the wind, the top of the tower moves as much as 7 inches away and grows about 6 inches due to the sun’s heat.
   4. Over 60 tonnes of paint are applied to the tower every 7 years to prevent rusting.
   5. Visitors to the tower can climb up the stairs to the first two levels or gain access to the third and the highest level via the lift. 
   6. During the Second World War, German forces occupied the tower and closed it for public entry until the end of their occupation of Paris. Even Adolf Hitler gave orders to demolish it but was never followed.

Research on Eiffel tower history facts can help make sense of the genius of human imagination and technical prowess. This global icon of France is one of the most recognizable man-made structures in the world that embodies in its monumental iron latticework the optimism of the Industrial and Revolution and the hopes of Western Civilization. Information about Eiffel Tower can widen children’s worldview and help them use their geographic skills to appreciate people from other countries and places they have never been. 

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