The Eiffel Tower in Paris

The Eiffel Tower is situated in the centre of Paris, the capital of France. It is over 300 metres high and is made entirely of steel. At first many people did not like it. They called the tower “sheet metal that has been screwed together” and were afraid that the steel structure could fall down. But now it has been standing in its place for over 130 years and is one of the most popular sights in Paris.

The tower was planned by Gustave Eiffel. He was a famous French architect and a specialist in steel construction. He worked on many projects all over the world, for example the Panama Canal in Central America or the scaffolding for the interior of the Statue of Liberty.

From three visitor platforms there is a fantastic view over the whole of Paris. Several million people visit the tower every year. Some have set up records on the Eiffel Tower. A mountain biker took 19 minutes to ride his bike up the steps as far as the second platform. A triathlete managed to climb the tower in only eight minutes. Even an elephant has been seen on the Eiffel Tower. It had escaped from a circus and climbed up to the first platform.