Select your favorite keywords or themes and create your custom section"Gustave Eiffel was the perfect example of a 19th century engineer: inventive and daring,” says Lemoine, who is himself an engineer, architect, and specialist in the history of architecture at the CNRS.In this favorable context, Eiffel became an internationally renowned structural engineer not only through the design of the world-famous Eiffel Tower, but also as a result of the 300 or so structures he built all over the world, including bridges, viaducts, roof structures, churches, and stations. “The shapes of beams and buildings were designed so as to optimize their resistance, while at the same time making them lighter,” Lemoine explains. Actor Sacha Guitry (at the microphone) during the inauguration of the radio station at the Eiffel Tower in 1922. His contributions to scientific research shouldn't be forgotten either.

The Budapest train station in Hungary. With its great hall made entirely of metal, it remains one of the engineer's great feats.

As a result, there was no need to put up expensive scaffolding in the river. In this favorable context, Eiffel became an internationally renowned structural engineer not only through the design of the world-famous Eiffel Tower, but also as a result of the 300 or so structures he built all over the world, including bridges, viaducts, roof structures, churches, and stations. To worry about how the Eiffel Tower was built requires first to worry about concepts in metal construction. Eiffel Tower stands 324 meters (1063 feet) tall, about the same height as an 80-story office building, or an 100-story residential building, it is the tallest structure in Paris.. Aerial view of Eiffel Tower. The 1889 World’s Fair . Eiffel agreed to build upon their vision. As one of the most visited cities in the world, Paris is continuously celebrated for the unique features that define it. On site, all you had to do was to assemble them with rivets,” Lemoine explains.

It would be taller than any structure ever built, even outstripping the Washington Monument. Two engineers from the Eiffel company, Émile Nouguier and Maurice Koechlin, designed a 300 meter-high tower. [5] Fascinated by this iconic tower? The tower was to amaze two million visitors during the six months the exhibition was open.

The Eiffel tower in December 1887. Thus, to Eiffel, the edifice was much more than an entrance; it was “an expression of France's gratitude.”Find out how by becoming a Patron.

The best thing is to be guided by Gustave Eiffel himself, who gives in his book "The tower of 300m" some notions that he acquired on this subject. Like My Modern Met on Facebook Although Eiffel initially showed little interest, he was won over by the embellishments added by the architect Stephen Sauvestre, and registered a patent.The tower won one of the four prizes in the exhibition's architecture competition.

All rights reserved. Beneath its copper sheathing, the iron framework can be seen: put simply, it is a mini Eiffel Tower topped by another–smaller one–inside the arm. Work began in January 1887 to be completed a mere 26 months later. Publicity in the press and public meetings helped to make Eiffel's project increasingly credible, and an agreement with the government was finally signed.

Structures made increasing use of openwork.

“For instance, for the Maria Pia Bridge in Porto (Portugal), he suggested using cables to hold up the two arches that met to form the bridge,” adds Lemoine. Eiffel had all the makings of a great engineer. In May 1884, working at home, Koechlin made a sketch of their idea, described by him as "a great pylon, consisting of four lattice girders standing apart at the base and coming together at the top, joined together by metal trusses at regular intervals". © 2020. The Eiffel tower in December 1887. At the time, structural engineering was increasingly in demand. The silhouette of the Eiffel Tower was dictated by wind resistance calculations: its large base provides the stability needed for a building that is more than 300 meters high.

Kelly Richman-Abdou is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Fascinated by this iconic tower? And he was soon to embark on his life's greatest achievement. Since its construction, more than 120 million visitors from all over the world have marveled at the Eiffel Tower. While most people know where it is, and have admired its elegant design, towering high over a cultural capital of Europe, few people know the proper history of this magnificent structure.

Had they been just a few millimeters off, the rivets would not have fit in the holes of the plates that were then assembled.Science journalist, author of chilren's literature, and collections director for over 15 years, Charline Zeitoun is currently Sections editor at

Actor Sacha Guitry (at the microphone) during the inauguration of the radio station at the Eiffel Tower in 1922. why was the Eiffel Tower built in the first place? Eiffel had the idea of placing boxes filled with sand inside them, as was done in Ancient Egypt. He surrounded himself with efficient technicians and inventive engineers, and started establishing lasting partnerships with investors. And you could build them bigger and taller without any fear of them collapsing under their own weight, or breaking in high winds. The Garabit viaduct in France was built in 1880 modeling that of Porto. Furthermore, the scientific laws that explained how materials deformed due to the stresses and shapes of structures, discovered by Claude-Louis Navier in 1821, were now commonly being applied.

The Budapest train station in Hungary. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and Encouraged by his success in a steel construction company, where he headed in particular the construction site for the Bordeaux railway bridge, he set up his very own company at the age of 32.