My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris

2023-05-16

Early next morning, we boarded bus and started today's journey, visiting Eiffel Tower in Paris. The sky is still cloudy and not sunny, but photos are gray and colorless Sitting in the bus, I made some street scenes.

My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris
My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris

The camera caught a woman walking through streets of Paris. Even though it was winter, this elderly Parisian was wearing a skirt and windbreaker. Her long golden hair was loose over her shoulders and she looked very elegant. What she was holding in her left hand seemed to be Food, with a small bag in her right hand, walking through quiet streets of Paris in early morning, looking very elegant.

It seems that elegance of Parisians is really deserved

My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris

Street view of Paris

My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris

Street view of Paris

In almost every corner of Paris, capital of France, as long as there are no buildings blocking view, you can generally see Eiffel Tower on Champ de Mars on banks of Seine.

My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris

The Eiffel Tower was tallest building in world until 1930.

Today, Eiffel Tower is one of most famous tourist attractions in France and even in world. It is known as three world famous buildings along with Empire State Building in New York and the TV Tower in Tokyo.

My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris

This is a huge iron tower with a hollow structure, 300 meters high. If you take into account 24-meter antenna on tower, total height will be 324 meters.

The iron tower is divided into three floors: height of first floor is 57 meters, height of second floor is 115 meters, and height of third floor is 274 meters. From base of tower to top of tower there are 1711 steps, an elevator is installed.

My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris

Climb Eiffel Tower and you can see panorama at a glance. If skies in Paris are clear, famous buildings in urban areas will be clearly visible.

Unfortunately, group tour didn't organize a climb to tower and we just walked around to take some photos.

My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris

The Eiffel Tower takes its name from its designer Gustave Eiffel.

However, Eiffel is not an architectural designer, his profession is to design bridges. However, when Eiffel Tower was built, it was once vilified.

First, explain background: 1889 marks 100th anniversary of French Revolution. To mark this historic moment. The French government has decided to hold World Exhibition in Paris this year.

An iconic building is needed for exhibition to take place, and city of Paris hopes that this building will be out of ordinary and become a stunning masterpiece.

In 1886, bridge engineer Gustave Eiffel was selected to build tower, and construction began on January 28, 1887.

My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris

At demonstration stage of program, various voices of doubt are endlessly heard.

The Eiffel Tower proposal did not sit well with most Parisians and was heavily criticized by experts in architecture and urban planning.

People in cultural circles of Paris even publicly released a letter of protest signed by more than 300 people. The open letter says that this sword-shaped iron tower will completely destroy architectural and artistic style of Paris.

This open letter was signed by famous French writers Maupassant and Dumas filte, well known to Chinese. After tower was completed, sharp criticism remained.

My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris

Garnier, a famous French gardener, has asked government to demolish Eiffel Tower.

The famous French symbolist poet Verlaine intentionally walked around tower every time he passed by because he couldn't stand sight of "ugly" image of tower.

My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris

However, history proves that fears of Parisian architects, cultural figures and even Parisians did not come true:The Eiffel Tower did not spoil beauty of Paris, but added gloss to it.

The construction of Eiffel Tower was completed on March 31, 1889. The World Exhibition in Paris opened on May 5 and closed on October 31. In total, more than 32 million people visited World Expo.

Although many of pavilions of this World's Fair have a strong national flavor and have attracted many tourists, Eiffel Tower is undoubtedly best among them.

My trip to Western Europe: Eiffel Tower in Paris

Today, Eiffel Tower belongs not only to Paris, it has become a symbol of France and French affectionately call it "Iron Lady".

The design of iron tower is new and unique, it is a technical masterpiece in history of world architecture, so it has become an important scenic spot and an outstanding symbol of France and Paris.

Looking at this world-famous iron tower floating in clouds, I am amazed and admire wisdom of people. Hundreds of years later, it still stands high in sky, looking at changes of human time.