As I stood beneath the iron lattice of the Eiffel Tower, craning my neck to take in its full 984-foot height, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe. This iconic structure, once derided as an eyesore by Parisian intellectuals, has become not just the symbol of Paris, but of France itself. Yet, for all its familiarity, the Tower still holds secrets and surprises that continue to captivate visitors and researchers alike.

From its conception as a temporary exhibit to its role in scientific discoveries and wartime intrigue, the Eiffel Tower has been a silent witness to over 130 years of history. Today, as it prepares to dazzle the world once again during the 2024 Summer Olympics, it seems an appropriate time to delve into the lesser-known facts and hidden stories of this marvel of 19th-century engineering.

So, let’s embark on a journey of discovery, uncovering ten fascinating aspects of the Eiffel Tower that might just change the way you see this iconic landmark.

A Tower Built to be Temporary

The 20-Year Plan That Became Eternal

When Gustave Eiffel’s company won the competition to build a centerpiece for the 1889 World’s Fair, little did anyone know that the resulting structure would become one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. The Eiffel Tower was originally intended to stand for just 20 years.

The permit issued on January 8, 1887, allowed the tower to remain standing for 20 years, until 1909. After that, ownership would revert to the City of Paris, which planned to dismantle it. Eiffel, ever the savvy businessman, had other ideas.

Knowing that the tower’s fate hung in the balance, Eiffel began to emphasize its scientific uses. He encouraged scientific experiments that used the tower’s height, including Foucault’s pendulum, physics experiments, and even early radio transmissions.

In a stroke of genius that would make any modern PR professional proud, Eiffel installed a meteorological laboratory on the third floor in 1889. He followed this up by funding experiments in physiology, optics, and electricity. By 1900, he had installed a wireless telegraph transmitter in the tower, which proved crucial for military communications.

These scientific endeavors, particularly the tower’s usefulness for communication, saved it from destruction. The military began using it for radio communications, and it played a pivotal role in capturing the infamous spy Mata Hari during World War I.

Today, standing beneath this “temporary” structure that has graced the Parisian skyline for over 130 years, I can’t help but chuckle at the thought of how close we came to losing this global icon to a 20-year permit.

The Secret Apartment

Eiffel’s High-Rise Hideaway

As I ascended the tower, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy for Gustave Eiffel. Not just because he created this masterpiece, but because he had the foresight to include a secret perk: a private apartment at the top of the tower.

Located on the third level, nearly 1,000 feet above the ground, Eiffel’s apartment was unknown to many for years. It wasn’t large – only 100 square meters (about 1,076 square feet) – but it was the ultimate Parisian pied-à-terre.

Eiffel used this cozy space to rest and entertain guests, including Thomas Edison, who gifted him one of his newfangled phonograph machines. The apartment was comfortably furnished with wooden cabinets, colorful wallpapers, and even a grand piano. It also housed a small laboratory where Eiffel could conduct experiments.

While Parisian high society clamored for invitations, Eiffel mostly used the apartment for quiet reflection and to entertain prestigious guests. He reportedly received offers to rent the space for a single night that would equate to tens of thousands of dollars today, but he always refused.

Today, the apartment is open to the public, complete with wax figures of Eiffel and Edison. As I peered into this hidden gem, I couldn’t help but imagine the conversations that must have taken place here, high above the City of Light.

The Eiffel Tower’s Secret Color

Fifty Shades of… Brown?

If I asked you to close your eyes and picture the Eiffel Tower, what color would you see? A metallic grey, perhaps? Or maybe a rusty brown? The truth is, the Eiffel Tower has been painted at least 19 times since its construction, and its color has changed several times.

Currently, the tower sports a color officially known as “Eiffel Tower Brown”. But this wasn’t always the case. When it first opened in 1889, the tower was a reddish-brown color. In 1892, it was recolored ochre. A few years later, it was painted yellow. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was coated in a yellow-brown shade. From 1968 to 2001, it was painted in a shade of brown called “Eiffel Tower Brown”. In 2001, a slightly darker shade of this same color was applied.

The tower is repainted every seven years, a process that takes 18 months and requires 60 tons of paint. That’s enough paint to cover ten football fields! The next time you’re debating the exact shade of the Eiffel Tower with friends, you can confidently say it’s “Eiffel Tower Brown” – at least until the next paint job.

A Hotbed of Scientific Discovery

From Radio Waves to Relativity

While most visitors to the Eiffel Tower are content to admire the view, snap photos, and perhaps enjoy a meal at one of its restaurants, the tower has a rich history as a site of scientific discovery and experimentation.

In 1909, the tower played a crucial role in saving the life of Captain Marconi, the inventor of the wireless telegraph. Marconi was scheduled to sail on the Titanic’s ill-fated maiden voyage but missed the boat due to preferring the newly installed telegraph equipment on the Lusitania. The equipment he was using to communicate with stations in Canada and across Europe? None other than the antenna atop the Eiffel Tower.

But the tower’s scientific legacy goes beyond communication. In 1926, Léon Foucault’s pendulum was installed in the tower to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth. In the same year, Albert Einstein used the tower as a giant metaphor to explain his theory of relativity to the Parisian public.

More recently, in 2016, a zip line was installed from the second floor of the tower to the École Militaire. While this was primarily for entertainment, it also served as an experiment in wind resistance and urban recreational activities.

As I gazed up at the antenna crowning the tower, I couldn’t help but marvel at how this monument to engineering has continually reinvented itself as a beacon of scientific progress.

The Great Eiffel Tower Con

Victor Lustig: The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower (Twice!)

In the annals of audacious cons, few can match the sheer chutzpah of Victor Lustig, the man who managed to “sell” the Eiffel Tower. Not once, but twice.

In 1925, Lustig read a newspaper article about the high maintenance costs of the Eiffel Tower. Seizing upon this information, he forged government credentials and invited six scrap metal dealers to a confidential meeting at a prestigious hotel.

There, Lustig spun a tale about the government’s secret plan to sell the Eiffel Tower for scrap. He claimed the plan was controversial, hence the need for secrecy. One dealer, André Poisson, took the bait and handed over a large sum of money for the “rights” to dismantle the tower.

Lustig fled to Austria with the money. When Poisson, too embarrassed to admit he’d been conned, didn’t report the crime, Lustig returned to Paris a month later and pulled the same scam again!

This time, the prospective buyer became suspicious and went to the police. Lustig managed to escape to America, where he continued his life of crime until finally being caught and imprisoned in 1935.

Standing in the shadow of the tower, still very much intact and definitely not sold for scrap, I couldn’t help but admire Lustig’s audacity. It takes a special kind of con man to sell one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world – and then come back for seconds.

The Eiffel Tower’s Role in Both World Wars

From Capturing Spies to Resisting Nazis

While the Eiffel Tower may be a symbol of romance and Parisian charm, it has also played significant roles in both World Wars, transforming from a tourist attraction to a vital military asset.

During World War I, the tower’s radio transmitters were used to jam German communications, leading to the capture of the infamous spy Mata Hari. The tower’s strategic importance was so well recognized that in 1914, French soldiers stationed atop the tower helped win the crucial First Battle of the Marne by directing artillery fire.

But it was during World War II that the tower faced its greatest threat. As the Germans approached Paris in 1940, the French cut the tower’s elevator cables, forcing Hitler’s troops to climb the stairs if they wanted to fly their flag from the top.

Legend has it that Hitler ordered the tower to be destroyed as the Germans retreated, but the military governor of Paris, Dietrich von Choltitz, refused to carry out the order. Whether this story is true or not, the fact remains that the tower survived the occupation largely intact.

In a final act of wartime resistance, as the Allies approached Paris in August 1944, the lift operators supposedly sabotaged the German-repaired lifts, forcing the enemy to retreat down the stairs while under fire from the approaching liberators.

Today, as I watched tourists from all over the world peacefully ascending the tower, I was struck by how this structure, once a target in war, has become a universal symbol of unity and peace.

The Tower That Grows and Shrinks

The Eiffel Tower’s Daily Workout

You might think that a 1,063-foot tall iron structure would be fairly rigid, but the Eiffel Tower is more flexible than you might imagine. In fact, the tower’s height can vary by up to 6 inches (15 cm) depending on the temperature.

On hot summer days, the iron expands, causing the tower to grow taller. Conversely, on cold winter nights, the metal contracts, and the tower shrinks. This expansion and contraction are carefully monitored and accounted for in the tower’s maintenance.

But it’s not just temperature that affects the tower’s height. Strong winds can cause the top of the tower to sway up to 4.3 inches (11 cm). So, if you’re at the top of the tower on a windy day, you might be getting a bit more of a thrill ride than you bargained for!

As I felt a gentle sway while standing on the observation deck, I couldn’t help but marvel at the foresight of Eiffel and his team. They designed the tower to be flexible enough to withstand these forces of nature, ensuring that it would stand tall (or slightly less tall, depending on the weather) for generations to come.

The Eiffel Tower’s Starring Roles in Cinema

From Rene Clair to Tom Cruise

Since its construction, the Eiffel Tower has been a favorite backdrop for filmmakers, appearing in hundreds of movies. Its cinematic debut came in 1897, just eight years after its completion, in a short film by the Lumière brothers.

One of the tower’s most memorable early appearances was in René Clair’s 1923 silent film “Paris qui dort” (The Crazy Ray), where it played a central role in a science fiction story about a mad scientist who freezes time in Paris.

In more recent years, the tower has featured prominently in numerous Hollywood blockbusters. Who can forget the scene in “Superman II” where the Man of Steel saves a bus full of people as it dangles from the tower? Or the climactic chase in “The Man on the Wire”, inspired by Philippe Petit’s real-life high-wire walk between the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral?

The tower even “transformed” into a rocket ship in the animated film “A Monster in Paris”. And in 2018’s “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”, Tom Cruise performed a real HALO jump from a C-17 military plane flying at 25,000 feet, with the Eiffel Tower visible in the background.

As I gazed at the tower, I couldn’t help but see it through the lens of countless films, each adding another layer to its mystique and cementing its status as not just a Parisian icon, but a global cultural touchstone.

The Tower’s Illuminating History

From Gas Lamps to LED Light Shows

When the Eiffel Tower first opened in 1889, it was illuminated by 10,000 gas lamps. However, this was just the beginning of its luminous journey.

In 1925, André Citroën paid to have the tower illuminated with 250,000 colored bulbs spelling out his company’s name. This turned the tower into the world’s tallest advertisement for a brief period.

The tower’s lighting has continued to evolve over the years. In 1985, a new lighting system was installed by electrician Pierre Bideau. This system used 336 sodium-vapor lamps to bathe the tower in a warm, golden glow.

In 2000, to celebrate the new millennium, 20,000 flash bulbs were added to create a sparkling effect. This proved so popular that it became a permanent feature, with the tower sparkling for five minutes every hour on the hour from sundown to 1 am (2 am in summer).

The most recent lighting upgrade came in 2015 when the tower switched to LED lights, reducing its energy consumption by 30% and allowing for more dynamic light shows.

As night fell and I watched the tower begin to sparkle, I couldn’t help but think of the millions of visitors who have been captivated by this luminous spectacle over the years. And with the 2024 Summer Olympics on the horizon, I can only imagine what dazzling displays the tower has in store.

The Eiffel Tower’s Olympic Moment

Paris 2024: When Iron Meets Gold

As Paris prepares to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, the Eiffel Tower is set to play a starring role. While the specifics of the opening ceremony are still under wraps, rumors abound about a spectacular light show that will transform the tower into a beacon of Olympic spirit.

The organizing committee has hinted at using cutting-edge projection mapping technology to turn the tower’s iron lattice into a canvas for a breathtaking visual spectacle. Imagine the Olympic rings seemingly suspended in mid-air, or the tower transformed into a giant torch, its tip flickering with digital flames visible across the city.

But the tower’s involvement in the Games goes beyond just the opening ceremony. The Champ de Mars, the park at the foot of the tower, will host the beach volleyball competition. Spectators will have the unique experience of watching Olympic-level sports with one of the world’s most famous landmarks as a backdrop.

Moreover, the tower itself will serve as the starting point for the marathon event, with runners beginning their grueling 26.2-mile journey in the shadow of this Parisian icon.

As I pondered these upcoming events, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation. The Eiffel Tower, a structure that has witnessed so much history, is poised to add another chapter to its storied existence, linking the engineering marvels of the 19th century with the athletic excellence of the 21st.

Conclusion

In conclusion, as I took one last look at the Eiffel Tower, its iron silhouette etched against the Parisian sky, I was struck by how this structure continues to captivate and surprise us. From its humble beginnings as a temporary exhibit to its current status as a global icon, the tower has been a constant witness to history, science, art, and human achievement.

Its ability to reinvent itself – from a controversial iron maiden to a beloved symbol of Paris, from a scientific laboratory to a beacon of resistance, from a cinematic star to an Olympic icon – speaks to its enduring relevance. The Eiffel Tower is more than just a tourist attraction or an engineering marvel. It’s a testament to human ingenuity, adaptability, and the power of a great idea to transcend its original purpose.

As it prepares to dazzle the world once again during the 2024 Olympics, one thing is certain: the Eiffel Tower, like the city it represents, will continue to evolve, surprise, and inspire for generations to come. And who knows? Perhaps a century from now, another journalist will be uncovering ten more fascinating facts about this ever-changing iron lady.

Until then, she stands tall, a silent sentinel over the City of Light, holding onto her secrets and waiting to reveal them to those curious enough to look beyond her familiar silhouette.