The Eiffel Tower is an iron lattice tower located on the
Champ de Mars in Paris, named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company
designed and built the tower. Erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889
World's Fair, it has become both a global cultural icon of France and one of
the most recognizable structures in the world. The tower is the tallest
structure in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world; 7.1 million
people ascended it in 2011. The third level observatory's upper platform is at
915.7 ft (279.1 m) the highest accessible to the public in the European Union.
The tower received its 250 millionth visitor in 2010.
The tower stands 1,063 feet (324 m) tall, about the same
height as an 81-storey building. During its construction, the Eiffel Tower
surpassed the Washington Monument to assume the title of the tallest man-made
structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years, until the Chrysler
Building in New York City was built in 1930. Because of the addition, in 1957,
of the antenna atop the Eiffel Tower, it is now taller than the Chrysler
Building. Not including broadcast antennas, it is the second-tallest structure
in France, after the Millau Viaduct.
The tower has three levels for visitors. Tickets can be
purchased to ascend, by stairs or lift (elevator), to the first and second
levels. The walk from ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as is
the walk from the first to the second level. The third and highest level is accessible
only by lift—stairs do exist but are usually closed to the public. The first
and second levels have restaurants.
The tower has become the most prominent symbol of both Paris
and France, often in the establishing shot of films set in the city.
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