The Eiffel Tower: A Modern Man-Made Wonder

Take a virtual tour of The Eiffel Tower (Paris, France). An aerial view of France's most famous landmark.

The Eiffel Tower, completed in 1889, was commissioneed for the Paris World Fair. It was also used to commemorate the centennial celebration of the French Revolution. Originally it wasn't embraced by all Parisians and at one point was scheduled to be torn down.

Much has changed in a century. The Eiffel Tower has become one of the most recognized monuments in the world and one of the most visited in Europe. Six million people visit the Tower every year. Since it's opening, 225 million people have visited the Eiffel Tower.

The Tower is named for Gustave Eiffel who was the contractor for the project. The design was actually developed by Stephen Sauvestre, the architect. Standing at 324 meters (1053 feet) the Tower offers excellent panoramic views of Paris. Visitors can look out over Paris at three different evelvations.

The lowest viewing platform is at 57 meters (185 feet), the middle platform is at 116 meters (377 feet) and the top platform is at 276 meters (897 feet). Elevators take visitors to the different levels. It is possible to take the stairs just be aware that there are 1665 steps to the top level.

You can get an excellent perspective of the Eiffel Tower from the Official Eiffel Tower Website. There are panoramic views, videos as well as interactive games for children. A link to the site is available in the Resources section below.