My recent trip to France left me feeling invigorated, yet exhausted—a strange combination, I know. I’m eager to share some of my travel stories, but first, I’d like to delve into a few surprising facts about a landmark that captivated me: the Eiffel Tower.
Let’s start with a little-known fact about this iconic structure: its color has changed seven times since its construction. The Eiffel Tower has donned a range of hues, from the vibrant gradation of colors in 1900, with orange at the base fading to light yellow at the top, to its current shade of yellow-brown.
A Tower in Flux
The tower undergoes a meticulous repainting process about every seven years, and it’s currently undergoing a more extensive makeover. Workers are painstakingly removing 19 layers of paint, revealing the tower’s original structure beneath. This extensive project aims to restore the Eiffel Tower to the yellow-brown hue favored by Gustave Eiffel, its visionary architect. The endeavor has been ongoing since 2019, but the pandemic and the presence of high lead concentrations have hampered progress.
Some reports suggest that the tower is plagued by rust, and that the push to complete the project before the 2024 Olympic Games is hindering much-needed repairs. Regardless, the cosmetic facelift is expected to cost a staggering $60 million. Once completed, the Eiffel Tower will shimmer with a magnificent new shade of gold.
More Than Just a Breathtaking View: The Eiffel Tower’s Hidden Secrets
Did you know that the Eiffel Tower actually breathes? It’s true! This awe-inspiring structure, constructed from wrought iron beams, shrinks and expands with the changing seasons. During the winter, freezing temperatures cause the tower to contract, while the summer heat causes it to expand. The difference in height between these two extremes is a surprising six to seven inches!
This phenomenon also leads to a slight inclination away from the side of the tower facing the sun. The most dramatic deviation occurred in 1976, when the top of the tower tilted by 18 centimeters. Rest assured, these variations have absolutely no impact on the tower’s stability and are practically imperceptible to observers.
A Monument to Perseverance: The Eiffel Tower’s Enduring Legacy
The Eiffel Tower was conceived as a centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair. Parisian authorities planned to dismantle the tower after 20 years, when Gustave Eiffel’s permit expired. Determined to preserve his masterpiece, Eiffel devised a clever plan. He funded the installation of a meteorology laboratory on the topmost stage of the tower, where scientists could conduct groundbreaking experiments.
By establishing this unique facility, Eiffel effectively secured the tower’s fate. It remained the world’s tallest structure until 1930, when the Chrysler Building in New York surpassed it. By this time, the Eiffel Tower had become a globally recognized landmark, its initial reception among Parisians, who considered it an eyesore, had long since faded.
A Narrow Escape: The Eiffel Tower’s Brush with Destruction
At the end of World War II, as Allied forces approached Paris, Adolf Hitler ordered General Dietrich von Choltitz, the military governor of Paris, to destroy the city. Hitler’s telegraphed order was clear and unambiguous: “Destroy Paris!”
Accounts of the events that followed differ widely. In his 1950 memoir, Von Choltitz claimed that he saved the French capital by defying Hitler’s command. This version of history gained further support from the 2014 French film, starring Niels Arestrup.
However, documentary filmmaker Françoise Cros de Fabrique questioned the veracity of Von Choltitz’s account. After conducting his own thorough investigation, he released a documentary in 2019, challenging Von Choltitz’s narrative and revealing it as a myth.
The documentary provides compelling evidence that Von Choltitz was a disciplined officer who held a deep animosity towards the French. Before surrendering, he ordered the placement of explosives at various Parisian monuments and bridges. While the explosives were subsequently dismantled by French police, Von Choltitz’s failure to destroy Paris was attributed to his dwindling time and resources. Ultimately, he accepted a ceasefire offer from Swedish diplomat Raoul Nordling to save his own skin, not the city.
Despite the ceasefire, Hitler was not prepared to concede defeat. He ordered missile strikes against Paris, aiming to reduce the city to rubble. Nazi General Hans Speidel claimed that he refused to carry out the order because he considered the destruction of Paris absurd. In reality, the strikes were simply impossible to execute.
Hitler then directed the Luftwaffe, Germany’s air force, to bomb the French capital. On the night of August 26, 1944, 120 airplanes unleashed hundreds of bombs on Paris, and missiles were also launched from Belgium. Fortunately, these attacks lacked precision, and by October 6, Hitler shifted his bombing focus to London.
Beyond the Eiffel Tower: A Parisian Odyssey
While the Eiffel Tower is an undeniable symbol of Paris, it’s not the city’s most popular tourist destination. Seven million visitors ascend its platforms annually, but other attractions draw even larger crowds. Versailles attracts 10 million visitors per year, Notre Dame 12 to 14 million, the Louvre about 8 million, and Disneyland Paris welcomes approximately 12 million visitors yearly.
I believe the Eiffel Tower’s lower visitor count is a testament to its magnificent structure. It’s visible from across Paris, allowing visitors to appreciate its grandeur from afar. Furthermore, the tower’s three platforms can accommodate only 5,000 people at a time. No one returns from a trip to Paris claiming they missed the Eiffel Tower, but many leave without experiencing all of the other attractions I’ve mentioned.
Feel free to share your own fun fact or interesting anecdote about the Eiffel Tower in the comments below.
