Simone
Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris was built in 1887 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. It is named after its designer, Eiffel. The 320-meter-high tower is a hollow steel framed structure and shoots straight up to the clouds. It weighs 9000 tons.巴黎艾菲尔铁灯火辉煌The Eiffel Tower was builtfor the International Exhibitionof Paris of 1889 commemoratingthe centenary of the French Revolution.The Prince of Wales,later King Edward VII of England,opened the tower.Of the 700 proposals submittedin a design competition,Gustave Eiffel's was unanimously chosen.However it was not acceptedby all at first,and a petition of 300 names - includingthose of Maupassant,Emile Zola,Charles Garnier(architect of the Opéra Garnier),and Dumas the Younger -protested its construction.At 300 metres(320.75m including antenna),and 7000 tons,it was the world's tallest building until 1930.Other statistics include:2.5 million rivets.300 steel workers,and 2 years (1887-1889) to construct it.Sway of at most 12 cm in high winds.Height varies up to 15 cm depending on temperature.15,000 iron pieces (excluding rivets).40 tons of paint.1652 steps to the top.It was almost torn down in 1909,but was saved because of its antenna -used for telegraphy at that time.Beginning in 1910it became part of theInternational Time Service.French radio (since 1918),and French television(since 1957) have also madeuse of its stature.During its lifetime,the Eiffel Tower has also witnesseda few strange scenes,including being scaledby a mountaineer in 1954,and parachuted off of in 1984by two Englishmen.In 1923 a journalist rode a bicycle downfrom the first level.Some accounts say he rode down the stairs,other accounts suggest the exteriorof one of the tower's four legswhich slope outward.However, if its birth was difficult,it is now completely acceptedand must be listedas one of the symbols of Paris itself.NotesThe tower has three platforms.A restaurant (extremely expensive;reservations absolutely necessary),the Jules Verne is on the second platform.The top platform has a bar,souvenir shop, and the (recently restored)office of Gustave Eiffel.From its platforms -especially the topmost -the view upon Paris is superb.It is generally agreedthat one hour before sunset,the panorama is at its best.
