Monthly Archives: March 2020

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Eiffel Tower – History to 3D Puzzle

I am high fiveing myself today  because I completed my 703 piece 3D puzzle of the Eiffel Tower.  This was great therapy for the COVID-19 quarantine blues.

I took her outside and took a few pictures & here is the best one for your viewing pleasure.

My Eiffel Tower 3D Puzzle complete

With the kids out of school I thought I would create a display of the puzzle and an information board for them.  Here are the facts I pulled together for that board.

 

Where & when was the Eiffel Tower built?

  • It is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France.
  • Digging started on the January 28th, 1887.
  • March 31st, 1889, the Tower had been finished in record time. Making it about 130 years old.
  • It is named after its builder, Gustave Eiffel.

Eiffel Tower at the Exhibition Universelle de 1889

Why was the Eiffel Tower built?

  • The Eiffel Tower was built for the Paris Worlds Fair – the Exposition Universelle de 1889.
  • The tower was constructed by the Seine and its rounded shape was used as the entrance to Exposition.
  • That year was picked to celebrate the 1789 French Revolution’s centennial year.
  • World’s Fairs were today’s internet. They were where people from around the world could see and learn about other countries and new inventions.
  • The Chicago 1893 World’s Fair (World’s Columbian Exposition) copied the 1889 Paris Worlds Fair as a blueprint.

 

    • Conkey’s Guide – 1893 Chicago Expo – Manufactures and Liberal Arts
  • Then in the 20th Century we in Seattle strived for some type of tower for our 1962 Seattle World’s Fair (Century 21 Exposition). The Space Needle still stands today just like the Eiffel Tower.

Seattle Worlds Fair’s birth – Space Needle from Science Center Arches

Did the Parisians like the iron structure?

  • When construction was over, most Parisians hated it! The critics were very harsh.
  • They thought the iron structure outshone the classic and elegant city of Paris.
  • Parisians talked about the Eiffel Tower as “grid” and “factory chimney”.

Construction photos of Eiffel Tower

Was the Eiffel Tower meant to be destroyed?

  • The Eiffel Tower was to be a temporary structure for the Exposition Universelle.
  • It was to stay for twenty years and then be destroyed.
  • The first broadcasts of radio began in 1897.
  • The Eiffel Tower became a strategic point for the city for radio transmissions thus Paris decided to keep it.
  • During the World War One, the tower captured important telegrams, precious information was deciphered, and spies were exposed.

Top of the Eiffel
Tower Radio Transmissions

That’s it for my Eiffel Tower quick Facts.  Hope you enjoyed this little interlude.