-Panomaric view of the Eiffel Tower-
We all knew about the existence of this tower.
And it had also been voted as the world's sexiest monument. (Think: An errected penis)
But how much do we really know about it?
Yes, it is in Paris...
And then??? (Go on... Go on... )
I don't know.
The first time it came into my very sight, I asked, "Why is this built?" and "When is this built?"
The Frenchie beside me managed to answer the latter but not the former...
So, I did a research of it when I went back home.
*******************
Here's some background information and numbers related to it:
Eiffel tower under construction in July 1888.
The structure was built between 1887 and 1889 as the entrance arch for the Exposition Universelle (1889), a World's fair marking the centennial celebration of the French revolution. The tower was inaugurated on March 31, 1889, and opened on May 6.
300 workers joined together 18,038 pieces of puddled iron, using two and a half million rivets, in a structural design by Maurice Koechlin.
The tower is 300 meters tall, not including the 24-meter television antenna on top.
The metal structure weighs 7,300 metric tons, the total weight is 10,100 metric tons.
-The sky was barely dark when I reached there at 2130hrs-
According to the official website for the tower, the summit is reached by 1,665 steps and not, as popularly believed, by 1,792 steps (the same as the year of the First French Republic).
Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the Eiffel Tower may shift away from the sun by up to eight centimetres (3 and 1 quarter inches), due to expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun.
Maintenance on the tower includes applying 50 metric tons of three graded tones of paint every 7 years to protect it from rust. On occasion, the colour of the paint is changed (the tower is currently painted a shade of brown). On the first floor, there are interactive consoles hosting a poll for the colour to use for a future session of painting.
The tower was met with resistance from the public when it was first built, many thinking it as an eyesore.
Today, it is widely considered to be one of the most striking pieces of structural art in the world.
-I realised this new function in my camera tonight-
Mapping of 16 identical images into with one shot.
I was surprised to see this when I uploaded my pictures.
Shall make use of this in future!!! ^^
*******************
You have to refer to this picture to know what Im talking about after this.
I was at the river bank which is between the Eiffel and this place when I took this picture.
People will see this place when they get out of the metro station and gain a bird's eye view of the tower from this place.
As you can see, there are 2 identical buildings in the picture.
Which look like this...
There were people enjoying dinner under the candle lights with the view of the huge tower by the side.
Between these 2 buildings, there is a huge assembly ground where students often gather together and you will find this on the ground.
This is part of the "Déclaration des Droits de L'homme", the French's version of the "Bill of Rights", which says, all men are born equal and enjoy equal rights.
And, as you climb up the steps towards the tower, there is a small football field right at the bottom, with players preparing for the UEFA Champions League.
Is this a prelude to the World Cup?
I am no soccer freak.
I still don't understand what's so fun about 22 men chasing after a ball.
Maybe this is not the exciting part, but the huge stakes on the scores.
Those 22 men are just pawns on the gambling table in my opinion.
-I had my own session of soccer fun too!!!-
*******************
Down the slope where you were walking, there will be a caroussel waiting for you right at the bottom before you crossed the bridge, in order to reach the base of the Eiffel Tower.
It just seems like Paris is selling a fairytale or a dream.
Reviving a child in every person who goes there.
The caroussel, the shimmering lights of the tower and its breathtaking view from the top.
-Even big boys couldn't resist to the temptation-
-How can you forget about crepes, ice cream and fizzy drinks?-
Even if a can of 330ml coke is selling at 4.00€??? (SGD8.00)
*******************
-River Seine at night-
-Floating Restaurant by its bank-
-View of the tower from the bank of the river-
One of the great Hollywood movie clichés is that the view from a Parisian window always includes the Eiffel Tower.
In reality, the Tower is not visible from a large part of Paris.
Originally, Eiffel had a permit to leave the tower standing for 20 years, more than recouping his expenses, but, as it proved valuable for communication purposes, it was allowed to stay after the end of the permit.
*******************
Since the beginning of the 20th century, the Eiffel Tower has been used for radio transmission. Until the 1950s, there was an aerial running from the top to anchor points on the Champ de Mars.
Since 1957, the Eiffel Tower has been used as transmission tower for FM and television.
The Eiffel Tower has two restaurants: Altitude 95, on the first floor (95 m above sea level); and the Jules Verne, an expensive gastronomical restaurant on the second floor, with a private elevator.
-A flickering Eiffel Tower which only last for a few minutes at the start of every hour from 10pm-
Pssttt...This restaurant has one star in the Michelin Red Guide.
So, you know it's actually not the food you are paying for.
And, no matter how bad the food tasted, most women will still say, "Oh XXX (fill in your darling's name) , it's just so sweet of it honey"
*places her elbow on the dining table, and one side of her face in her hands, sweeping a glance at the magnificient view before saying, "It's so roooooo-mantic..."
Personally, I think ROMANTIC is a word that has been exploited sub-consciously.
Hahaha.
*******************
A lot of events took place at this tower too.
-I'm at the base of the Eiffel!!!-
-Right under the Tower-
-A huge garden upfront-
Father Theodor Wulf in 1910 took observations of radiant energy radiating at the top and bottom of the Eiffel Tower, discovering more than was expected at the top, and thereby detecting what are today known as cosmic rays.
In 1925, the con artist Victor Lustig twice "sold" the Eiffel Tower for scrap.
In 1930, the Tower lost the title of the World's tallest structure when the Chrysler Building was completed in New York.
From 1925 to 1934, illuminated signs for Citrôn adorned three of the tower's four sides, making it the tallest billboard in the world at the time.
Looking down from the first level at one of the feet of the Tower
When the Nazis occupied Paris in 1940, the lift cables were cut by the French so that Hitler would have to climb the 1,665 steps to the summit - the part to repair them was allegedly impossible to obtain because of the war, though it was working again within hours of the departure of the Nazis.
He chose to stay on the ground.
A Frenchman also scaled the tower during the German occupation to hang the French flag.
In August 1944, when the Allies were nearing on Paris, Hitler ordered general Dietrich von Choltitz, the military governor of the Paris, to burn down the tower along with the rest of the city.
He disobeyed the order.
On January 3, 1956 a fire damaged the top of the tower.
In 1959 the present radio antenna was added to the top.
In the 1980s an old restaurant and its supporting iron scaffolding midway up the tower was dismantled; this was purchased and reconstructed in New Orleans, Louisiana, originally as the Tour Eiffel Restaurant, more recently known as the Red Room.
In the year 2000, flashing lights and four high-power searchlights were installed on the tower. Since then the light show has become a nightly event. The searchlights on top of the tower make it a beacon in Paris' night sky.
The tower received its 200,000,000th guest on November 28, 2002.
*******************
We were lucky that we were not too late to go up the tower cos' it was almost 2300hrs when we reached the base of the tower.
-Various prices for the tickets for 3 respective levels-
The summit was closed.
So we go for the 2nd highest level available.
I was thinking how much wealth has this metallic structure generated for Paris?
Since it is the world's most visited city and if you haven't been to Eiffel Tower when you visit Paris, it would have been quite a wasted trip isn't it?
When people think of Paris, they will always link it to the Eiffel Tower immediately, though they have many other beautiful architectures too.
Their earnings for a day could have support some people for a lifetime.
Capitalism has indeed increase the polarity between the poor and the rich.
Karl Mark's idea of an ideal society is just an utopia.
-Our tickets!!!-
And the moment was breath-taking when I stepped out of the elevator.
-An all-rounded view of Paris-
I would say pictures aren't enough to describe the beauty and spectacular view you have seen and experienced.
The song, "Take my breath away" was ringing in my head as loud as you can imagine when I saw this.
Hahaha.
*******************
You will find all 72 names of French scientists and engineers engravedon the tower in recognition of their contributions.
*******************
-The metro station nearest to the Eiffel Tower-
-My favourite shot of the night... I took it!!!^^-
黑夜里
从巴黎铁塔的顶端
就会降下不可思议的光亮
将寒冷孤寂的夜
温暖地笼罩起来 ······
Acknowledgement: All historical information and statistics in this post were obtained here.
You can also read about the various countries that imitate and reproduce replicas of the Eiffel Tower, as well as all the fims that include this tower as their movie setting from this website.
Videos will be uploaded on a later date.
We all knew about the existence of this tower.
And it had also been voted as the world's sexiest monument. (Think: An errected penis)
But how much do we really know about it?
Yes, it is in Paris...
And then??? (Go on... Go on... )
I don't know.
The first time it came into my very sight, I asked, "Why is this built?" and "When is this built?"
The Frenchie beside me managed to answer the latter but not the former...
So, I did a research of it when I went back home.
*******************
Here's some background information and numbers related to it:
Eiffel tower under construction in July 1888.
The structure was built between 1887 and 1889 as the entrance arch for the Exposition Universelle (1889), a World's fair marking the centennial celebration of the French revolution. The tower was inaugurated on March 31, 1889, and opened on May 6.
300 workers joined together 18,038 pieces of puddled iron, using two and a half million rivets, in a structural design by Maurice Koechlin.
The tower is 300 meters tall, not including the 24-meter television antenna on top.
The metal structure weighs 7,300 metric tons, the total weight is 10,100 metric tons.
-The sky was barely dark when I reached there at 2130hrs-
According to the official website for the tower, the summit is reached by 1,665 steps and not, as popularly believed, by 1,792 steps (the same as the year of the First French Republic).
Depending on the ambient temperature, the top of the Eiffel Tower may shift away from the sun by up to eight centimetres (3 and 1 quarter inches), due to expansion of the metal on the side facing the sun.
Maintenance on the tower includes applying 50 metric tons of three graded tones of paint every 7 years to protect it from rust. On occasion, the colour of the paint is changed (the tower is currently painted a shade of brown). On the first floor, there are interactive consoles hosting a poll for the colour to use for a future session of painting.
The tower was met with resistance from the public when it was first built, many thinking it as an eyesore.
Today, it is widely considered to be one of the most striking pieces of structural art in the world.
-I realised this new function in my camera tonight-
Mapping of 16 identical images into with one shot.
I was surprised to see this when I uploaded my pictures.
Shall make use of this in future!!! ^^
*******************
You have to refer to this picture to know what Im talking about after this.
I was at the river bank which is between the Eiffel and this place when I took this picture.
People will see this place when they get out of the metro station and gain a bird's eye view of the tower from this place.
As you can see, there are 2 identical buildings in the picture.
Which look like this...
There were people enjoying dinner under the candle lights with the view of the huge tower by the side.
Between these 2 buildings, there is a huge assembly ground where students often gather together and you will find this on the ground.
This is part of the "Déclaration des Droits de L'homme", the French's version of the "Bill of Rights", which says, all men are born equal and enjoy equal rights.
And, as you climb up the steps towards the tower, there is a small football field right at the bottom, with players preparing for the UEFA Champions League.
Is this a prelude to the World Cup?
I am no soccer freak.
I still don't understand what's so fun about 22 men chasing after a ball.
Maybe this is not the exciting part, but the huge stakes on the scores.
Those 22 men are just pawns on the gambling table in my opinion.
-I had my own session of soccer fun too!!!-
*******************
Down the slope where you were walking, there will be a caroussel waiting for you right at the bottom before you crossed the bridge, in order to reach the base of the Eiffel Tower.
It just seems like Paris is selling a fairytale or a dream.
Reviving a child in every person who goes there.
The caroussel, the shimmering lights of the tower and its breathtaking view from the top.
-Even big boys couldn't resist to the temptation-
-How can you forget about crepes, ice cream and fizzy drinks?-
Even if a can of 330ml coke is selling at 4.00€??? (SGD8.00)
*******************
-River Seine at night-
-Floating Restaurant by its bank-
-View of the tower from the bank of the river-
One of the great Hollywood movie clichés is that the view from a Parisian window always includes the Eiffel Tower.
In reality, the Tower is not visible from a large part of Paris.
Originally, Eiffel had a permit to leave the tower standing for 20 years, more than recouping his expenses, but, as it proved valuable for communication purposes, it was allowed to stay after the end of the permit.
*******************
Since the beginning of the 20th century, the Eiffel Tower has been used for radio transmission. Until the 1950s, there was an aerial running from the top to anchor points on the Champ de Mars.
Since 1957, the Eiffel Tower has been used as transmission tower for FM and television.
The Eiffel Tower has two restaurants: Altitude 95, on the first floor (95 m above sea level); and the Jules Verne, an expensive gastronomical restaurant on the second floor, with a private elevator.
-A flickering Eiffel Tower which only last for a few minutes at the start of every hour from 10pm-
Pssttt...
So, you know it's actually not the food you are paying for.
And, no matter how bad the food tasted, most women will still say, "Oh XXX (fill in your darling's name) , it's just so sweet of it honey"
*places her elbow on the dining table, and one side of her face in her hands, sweeping a glance at the magnificient view before saying, "It's so roooooo-mantic..."
Personally, I think ROMANTIC is a word that has been exploited sub-consciously.
Hahaha.
*******************
A lot of events took place at this tower too.
-I'm at the base of the Eiffel!!!-
-Right under the Tower-
-A huge garden upfront-
Father Theodor Wulf in 1910 took observations of radiant energy radiating at the top and bottom of the Eiffel Tower, discovering more than was expected at the top, and thereby detecting what are today known as cosmic rays.
In 1925, the con artist Victor Lustig twice "sold" the Eiffel Tower for scrap.
In 1930, the Tower lost the title of the World's tallest structure when the Chrysler Building was completed in New York.
From 1925 to 1934, illuminated signs for Citrôn adorned three of the tower's four sides, making it the tallest billboard in the world at the time.
Looking down from the first level at one of the feet of the Tower
When the Nazis occupied Paris in 1940, the lift cables were cut by the French so that Hitler would have to climb the 1,665 steps to the summit - the part to repair them was allegedly impossible to obtain because of the war, though it was working again within hours of the departure of the Nazis.
He chose to stay on the ground.
A Frenchman also scaled the tower during the German occupation to hang the French flag.
In August 1944, when the Allies were nearing on Paris, Hitler ordered general Dietrich von Choltitz, the military governor of the Paris, to burn down the tower along with the rest of the city.
He disobeyed the order.
On January 3, 1956 a fire damaged the top of the tower.
In 1959 the present radio antenna was added to the top.
In the 1980s an old restaurant and its supporting iron scaffolding midway up the tower was dismantled; this was purchased and reconstructed in New Orleans, Louisiana, originally as the Tour Eiffel Restaurant, more recently known as the Red Room.
In the year 2000, flashing lights and four high-power searchlights were installed on the tower. Since then the light show has become a nightly event. The searchlights on top of the tower make it a beacon in Paris' night sky.
The tower received its 200,000,000th guest on November 28, 2002.
*******************
We were lucky that we were not too late to go up the tower cos' it was almost 2300hrs when we reached the base of the tower.
-Various prices for the tickets for 3 respective levels-
The summit was closed.
So we go for the 2nd highest level available.
I was thinking how much wealth has this metallic structure generated for Paris?
Since it is the world's most visited city and if you haven't been to Eiffel Tower when you visit Paris, it would have been quite a wasted trip isn't it?
When people think of Paris, they will always link it to the Eiffel Tower immediately, though they have many other beautiful architectures too.
Their earnings for a day could have support some people for a lifetime.
Capitalism has indeed increase the polarity between the poor and the rich.
Karl Mark's idea of an ideal society is just an utopia.
-Our tickets!!!-
And the moment was breath-taking when I stepped out of the elevator.
-An all-rounded view of Paris-
I would say pictures aren't enough to describe the beauty and spectacular view you have seen and experienced.
The song, "Take my breath away" was ringing in my head as loud as you can imagine when I saw this.
Hahaha.
*******************
You will find all 72 names of French scientists and engineers engravedon the tower in recognition of their contributions.
*******************
-The metro station nearest to the Eiffel Tower-
-My favourite shot of the night... I took it!!!^^-
黑夜里
从巴黎铁塔的顶端
就会降下不可思议的光亮
将寒冷孤寂的夜
温暖地笼罩起来 ······
Acknowledgement: All historical information and statistics in this post were obtained here.
You can also read about the various countries that imitate and reproduce replicas of the Eiffel Tower, as well as all the fims that include this tower as their movie setting from this website.
Videos will be uploaded on a later date.
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