HITLER'S PLAN OF DESTROYING EIFFEL

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you plan for a trip? Yes! Obviously most of us think about Paris, Eiffel Tower. But what was the history behind its construction and why was it built? Well, there are several reasons.

One of the seven wonders of the world, named by the man who built it, GUSTAVE EIFFEL. It was made up of iron. The iron used to built the tower went through a refining process called puddling process to eliminate the excess carbon. The paint on the Tower has to be renewed for every seven years as recommended by Eiffel. It requires 60 tones of paint. And it is done with 25 painters only.

HISTORY:-

     It was at the 10^th Exposition Universelle at 1889, the date that marked the 100^th anniversary of the French Revolution, that a great competition was launched in the Journal officiel.

       The Eiffel Tower was built from 1887 to 1889 by French engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company was specialized in building metal frameworks and structures. They planned to build it as the entrance to the 1889 world’s fair. The tower is 324 metres.

 
         During its construction, it was the tallest man made structure in the world. The design of the tower is attributed to Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, and then with the help of Stephen Sauvestre who was the head of architectural department in Eiffel’s company.

         Stephen Sauvestre added decorative arches to the base of the tower, a glass pavilion to the first level, and the cupolo at the top. Just as the work began the committee of Three hundred (One members for each one meter of the tower’s height) was formed and led by Charles Garnier. The construction was completed with a time span of 2 years 2 months and 5 days. 

INTERESTING FACTS:-

          One of the reason why Eiffel Tower is still as dazzling as ever is because its adaptation to the environment. Like any metal, the puddled iron which was the tower was built is sensitive to variation to temperature.

             As the temperature increases, the size of the tower increases by 6 inches. During winter it shrinks up to 6 inches. This phenomenon is called thermal expansion. It also sways around 6-7 centimeters. It was the world’s tallest man made structure for 41 years.

         For a year, almost 7 million people visits the tower and making it as the most visited paid for monument in the world. The paper which is used to print the tickets in one year weighs 2 tonnes.  

          When Germany occupied France during the Second World War, Hitler ordered that Eiffel Tower be torn down, but the order was never followed though.

           It was originally intended to stand for 20 years before being dismantled, but its use as a wireless telegraph transmitter made it to stay till now.