The Eiffel Tower. It's what people think about when they first hear the word Paris. It has got poems, songs, and epics written about it. It appears on countless postcards and calendars and computer wallpapers. The Eiffel tower is an icon of Paris and its glory. When I first walked up to it, I couldn't believe how big it actually was. Each leg that holds the tower up at its base is humongous and bigger than decent-sized apartments. From the bottom up, the entire tower is built out of criss-crossed bands of metal and is one of the most intricate yet raw structures that I have ever seen.
Even more than being in the presence of this behemoth, however, is the story behind it. It was built for the world Exhibition in the late 1800s to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. Most Parisians at the time didn't want it to be built; they thought it would be ugly and inconvenient, while others thought it simply couldn't be done.
The genius behind the tower is in it's design. If it didn't have the criss-crossed sections of metal, the tower would topple over at first touch from a slight gust of wind. However, the engineers were smart and decreased the surface area by making it mostly hollow and exposed. Today, the tower still stands strong and is one of Paris' greatest attractions.
Enjoy the photos...
And finally, here's a little teaser for the upcoming Eiffel Tower at night series...
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*Photos + Writing by Eli Kallison unless otherwise stated
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