Overview

Hype:

The Eiffel Tower is a wrought iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Constructed from 1887–89 as the entrance to the 1889 Worlds Fair, it was initially criticized by some of Frances leading artists and intellectuals for its design, but it has become a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The Eiffel Tower is the most-visited paid monument in the world; 6.91 million people ascended it in 2015. The tower is 1,063 ft tall, about the same height as an 81-story building, and the tallest structure in Paris. Its base is square, measuring 410 ft on each side. During its construction, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to become the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years until the Chrysler Building in New York City was finished in 1930. Due to the addition of a broadcasting aerial at the top of the tower in 1957, it is now taller than the Chrysler Building by 17 ft. Excluding transmitters, the Eiffel Tower is the second-tallest structure in France after the Millau Viaduct. The tower has three levels for visitors, with restaurants on the first and second levels. The top levels upper platform is 906 ft above the ground – the highest observation deck accessible to the public in the European Union. Tickets can be purchased to ascend by stairs or lift (elevator) to the first and second levels. The climb from ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the climb from the first level to the second. Although there is a staircase to the top level, it is usually accessible only by lift.

Time:

Fees: Entrance Fee

Recommended Ages:

0-3
4-11
12-19
20-49
50-69
70+

Recommended Months to Visit:

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Features:
  • Architecture
  • Viewpoint, Overlooks, Vistas
  • Shopping
  • Light Show

Links: http://www.toureiffel.paris/en
https://en.wikipedia.org/

Getting There

Navigate to 48.858370, 2.294481.

Location

Closest City or Region: Paris, France

Coordinates: 48.858370, 2.294481

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August 7, 2017 Trip Report

By Jeremy Dye

Trip Members

Jeremy Dye, Tara Dye, Greg Dye, Laura Dye,

Story

We walked/drove/bussed/boated past the Eiffel Tower several times. And we actually went up it too. We had group tickets, so we were able to skip the lines. Even so there were tons of lines inside. We rode the elevator to the top observation decks and walked around the decks. Then Mom and Dad rode the elevator down while Tara and I took the stairs down. We beat them! When we got back to the bottom, our group had already left (bad timing on their part?), but we didn't really care because we didn't want to go back to the hotel yet; we wanted to see the town at night. 

Pictures