The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is an iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in
Paris, France. It was named after the engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel,
whose company designed and built the tower. Erected in 1889 as the entrance
arch to the 1889 World's Fair, it was initially criticized by some of France's
leading artists and intellectuals for its design, but has become both a global
cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the
world. The tower is the tallest structure in Paris and the most-visited paid
monument in the world.
The tower is 324 meters tall, about the same height as an 81-storey building.
Its base is square, 125 meters on a side. The tower has three levels for
visitors, with restaurants on the first and second. The third level
observatory's upper platform is 276 meters above the ground, the highest
accessible to the public in the European Union.
Over the years, the Eiffel Tower has been the site of numerous high-profile
stunts, ceremonial events and even scientific experiments. In 1911, for
instance, the German physicist Theodor Wulf used an electrometer to detect
higher levels of radiation at its top than at its base, observing the effects of
what are now called cosmic rays. The Eiffel Tower has also inspired more than
30 replicas and similar structures in various cities around the world.
Now one of the most recognizable structures on the planet, the Eiffel Tower
underwent a major facelift in 1986 and is repainted every seven years. It
welcomes more visitors than any other paid monument in the worldan
estimated 7 million people per year. Some 500 employees are responsible for
its daily operations, working in its restaurants, manning its elevators, ensuring
its security and directing the eager crowds flocking the towers platforms to
enjoy panoramic views of the City of Lights.