The Eiffel Tower is the 1889 structure in Paris created for the Exposition Universelle that became France’s landmark.
The tower was designed by the engineering company led by Gustave Eiffel for the world’s fair celebrating the centenary of the French Revolution. Construction used wrought iron, and the structure was assembled from more than 18,000 individual metallic parts joined by millions of rivets. It opened to visitors on 31 March 1889 and was formally inaugurated during the exposition.
Many artists and writers initially criticized its industrial appearance, while others recognized its engineering achievement. The tower was intended to be temporary, but its usefulness for radio transmission helped preserve it. At 300 metres when completed, it was the world’s tallest man-made structure until New York’s Chrysler Building surpassed it in 1930. Painting and maintenance remain recurring parts of its upkeep.