Eiffel Tower

Eiffel Tower, many called the most famous Parisian of our time. 
The tower was built in 1889. to the World's Fair, marking the 100 anniversary of the French Revolution. The French Government has decided to impress the imagination of his contemporaries tower that could rival with the highest at the time, facilities. 
The project launched suppliers Eiffel Tower, which already had the experience of previous buildings. Forthcoming World Exhibition is just a convenient excuse for the erection of such expensive facilities. This is what alerted Parisian audience: for ordinary Parisians of the building would cost too much. 
At a time when the Eiffel his team have only worked on the tower project, the Director of Alfandu asked a group of artists with a manifesto «artists against the Eiffel Tower». It stated: «We - writers, painters, sculptors, architects - passionate fans are not broken until now the beauty of Paris, protesting in the name of French taste, art and French history, and express our strong indignation project building in the center of our capital monstrous and useless Eiffel Tower ». 
But despite all that work on the construction began. While the foundation was a penetration of up to 5 meters below the level of the Seine, in the pits were packed in blocks of 10-meter thickness - to guarantee absolute stability. In each of the four bases for the tower legs were mounted hydraulic press with load capacity up to 800 tons. They are intended for fine adjustment of vertical tower, a project which the weight is 5000 tons. 
At the initial sketches Eiffel Tower there, it is placed statues and ornaments shaped platform, but he refused them, and embodied in the form they were only decorative arch over the opening four main pyramid. 
To build the tower took 12 000 components. 
Eiffel Tower is not only beautiful, but also workers - searchlights, beacons, reinforced at its peak, provide a model for aircraft and ships. Here - at the Eiffel Tower, a unique weather station. 
Eiffel Tower has three platforms, located at an altitude of 60, 140 and 275metrov, who served five roomy elevators. Four elevators inside the «feet» up to the second platform, the fifth running of the second to the third platform (first hydraulic elevators were, but at the beginning of XX century to electrify). 
Designed Eiffel elevators without denial worked for half a century, and suddenly broke down in June 1940, when German troops entered Paris. For four years, while in the French capital were the occupiers, the tower (to their great chagrin!) Was closed. Specially drawn from Berlin's engineers have been unable to work the elevators. But as soon as Paris was liberated, an old mechanic, only half an hour went down - and lifts running. Eiffel Tower once again became a symbol of Paris, and its first three-crowned national flag, which vzvilsya over the French capital on Aug. 25, 1944. 
The first platform of the Eiffel Tower has over 4000 square meters of useful space, the second platform of -1,400 square meters. The third area is a square with sides of 18metrov. It consists of two floors - glass and open. 
On the third platform is a small lab (it was meant personally for Eiffel) is even higher - gallery-balcony, which is the lighthouse lantern. 
Over time, to the tower is not only accustomed to, but even love, though her fate is not just hung in the balance. For example, in the 1900's of the case almost came to dismantling, and saved the only appearance of the radio tower. She became a pillar of antennas for radio, then television and, later, for a radar service. Now big floodlights - Beacons, reinforced at its peak, provide a model for aircraft and ships. Also at the Eiffel Tower is a unique meteorological station, where the study of daily fluctuations in atmospheric electricity, pollution, and radiation environment. 
Today, the Eiffel Tower is going through a second adolescence. The recently completed work on its restoration: the removal of dust from the tower, antiquated lifts were replaced with modern high-speed elevators, leaving the tower at once «lost» in the 1000 tonnes. 
It is difficult to believe that once the Eiffel Tower to meet a very warm reception by the Parisians. 

Eiffel Tower - the world's most popular tourist site. During this season it went up more than 3.1 million people, which is 100 thousand more than during the same period last year. Perhaps those at the end of XIX century, warmly protested against the erection of a huge metal construction, it is very difficult to believe that this building will become a symbol of Paris ox.