The Eiffel Tower became the world’s tallest structure after surpassing the Washington Monument in 1889.
The Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., is a 555-foot obelisk honoring George Washington. It was the world’s tallest structure from 1884 until the Eiffel Tower was completed in Paris in 1889.
Construction of the Washington Monument began in 1848 but was interrupted for more than two decades by funding problems, organizational disputes, and the American Civil War. The stone structure was completed in 1884, while additional interior and site work continued afterward.
The Eiffel Tower’s height made it a dramatic technological and architectural successor to the monument’s record. The Washington Monument remains one of the most recognizable landmarks on the National Mall, but it no longer holds the global height record.