EIFFEL TOWER FACTS
1998 Pariscope:
Entrance to 1st, 2nd and 3rd floor every day 9.30 am - 11 pm From 57 to 14 F. Posted 7 May 1997: From a 1994 guide book: The tower is open 9:30 AM to Midnight daily during the summer, 10Am - 11PM Winter. Admission: Elevator to first floor, 17 fr.; ages 4-11, 8 fr. to second floor; 34 fr., 4-11, 16 fr. to third floor 51 fr, ages 4-11, 23 fr. under 4 free to all levels. I seem to recall that the fare was 60 fr. to the top a few months ago, so there may have been an adjustment over the past three years. I have not looked into group fares, but I suspect that the discount would not be substantial, if any. The Eiffel Tower is about the only tourist site in Paris that does not participate in the Museum Card, which allows admission to about 90 sites for a fixed discount price. Levels 1 and 2 include the Jules Verne restaurant as well as other shops. The 3rd level includes the best view, of course, and a display of Paris and Eiffel memorabilia. The French Franc has been worth about $.15 for the last few years.
TOWER BASICS
Years Built: 1887-1889 for 1889 Universal Exhibition and Centennial of the French Revolution Engineers : Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier Architect : Stephen Sauvestre Contractor : Gustave Eiffel Occasion for Construction: 1889 Universal Exhibition Construction Period: 23 January 1887 to March 1889 (2years,2months,5days) Tower inaugurated: March 31, 1889 Number of Steel Workers: 300 Number of Workers Killed during Construction: 1 Rivets: 2,500,000 Steel pieces: 18,038 Height: 300.51 meters (986 feet) (+/- 15 cm depending on temperature) 1st level - 57 meters 2nd level - 115 meters 3rd level - 276 meters Height including television antenna: 320.755 meters (1052 feet) Weight: 7,000 tons (1,000 tons removed during 1990's renovation) Base: 412 feet square, although also noted as about 2.5 acres Foundation Pressure: 58.26 to 64 psi (9000 psf) Paint: 50 tons every 7 years Paint Color: Dark Brown Steps to Top: 1789 (Birnbaum), 1671 (Joseph Harriss), 1652 (others), 1665 (Official Eiffel Tower Website) Steps walkable by visitors (Ground to 2nd floor): 704 Year lighting added contributing to Paris' reputation as "City of Lights": 1986 Lighting : 352 projectors of 1000 watts Day German flag was hoisted on the Eiffel Tower as German army entered and occupied Paris: June 14, 1940 Number of Visitors, 1987: 4,000,000 Number of visitors, 1996 : 5,530,279 Numbers of visitors from the beginning to 1996: 167,664,439 First Radio Transmission: 1918 First TV transmission: 1957 Maximum sway in wind: 12 cm Tallest Structure in the World: 1889-1930 (until Chrysler Building) 2nd Tallest Structure in the World: 1930-1932 (Until Empire State Bldg) Parachute Descent: 1984 by two Englishmen Bicycle Descent: 1923 Journalist Mountaneering Ascent: 1954 Visibility on a clear day: 67 kilometers (42 miles) Phone Information: 45-55-91-11 011.33.01.44.11.23.23 (from US) Phone Number for Dinner Reservations at Jules Verne Restaurant (1-star) (from the US): 011-33-1-45-55-91-11 011-33-1-45-55-61-44Website offering Dinner Reservations at the Jules Verne Restaurant Address: La Tour Eiffel, Champs-de-Mars, Paris 75007, (7e) Métro Stop: Bir-Hakeim / RER Champ-de-Mars
ALEXANDRE-GUSTAVE EIFFEL
Engineer-Architect-Showman. Born 15 December 1832 Dijon, France. Died 27 Decemeber 1923 in his mansion on Rue Rabelais, Paris. Masterpiece was winning entry that attracted 700 proposals worldwide in 1884.Major Engineering Efforts: 1865 Train Stations at Toulouse and Agen, France 1873 Gas Works for LaPaz, Bolivia 1874 Locks for dam on Moskva River, Russia 1881 Interior Structure for Statue of Liberty, New York 1884 Bridge at Cholon, Cochin, China 1889 Locks for Panama Canal 1889 Thousand foot tower for Paris Exhibition of 1889 1900 LaRuche, 52, rue Dantzig, round wine pavilion for 1900 Exposition
For more personal info send mail to:
gary@endex.com
1 April 1998
