The Eiffel Tower Review

The Eiffel Tower, who can think of Paris without it coming to mind? And it is a magnificent sight! The first memory I have of it I was only 4 and it seemed sooooo big, funny thing is, it still is!

A LITTLE HISTORY
The Eiffel Tower, was constructed from January 1887 to March 1889 taking two years, two months and five days to complete. It was built for the 1889 Universal Expedition and the French Revolution Centennial. The design was the winning entry out of 700 worldwide proposals.

The architect was Stephen Sauvestre, the engineers were Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier and Gustave Eiffel was the contractor. It was build by 300 steelworkers using 18,038 steel pieces and 2,5000,000 rivets.

The height of the tower (not including the antenna) is 300.51meters with a variation of -.15 cm. depending on the temperature.

Lights were added 1986 -- consisting of 352 projectors of 1000 watts each and helping Paris to be called The City of Lights. I will not go into all the history but will instead tell you about what to expect at the Eiffel Tower today.

ADMISSION CHARGES and OPERATION HOURS
Your admission price is dependent on which floor you are going to and if you are using the elevator or the stairs. There are three observation decks and the higher you go, the more you pay.

Level 1 -- 4.50 € adults ---- 2.30 € ages 3-11
Level 2 -- 7.80 € adults ---- 4.30 € ages 3-11
Level 3 -- 11.50 € adults --- 6.30 € ages 3-11

Walking the stairs (which stop at the 2nd level) will cost 4.00 € for ages over 25 and 3.10 € for those under 25. There are a total of 1665 stairs, with 704 open to the public - from the ground to second level.

The Eiffel Tower is open every day of the year. Try to go early or late in the day if possible, and by all means, AVOID the weekends!

January 1 to June 14 -- from 9:30am to 11:00pm
June 15 to September 1, 2007 - - from 9:00am to midnight
September 2 to December 31, 2007 -- from 9:30am to 11:00pm

GOING UP, UP, UP THE EIFFEL TOWER --- LEVEL BY LEVEL
An elevator was first made available to visitors back in 1889. There are three elevators (north, west and east pillars) which stop at the first and second floors. You can get off at either level but, if you wish to go to the top (third level) you will need to take the elevator available from the second floor. The elevators are glass so, you get an AMAZING view as you go up. Note: The North pillar has the largest elevator and therefore, the fast moving line.

 Level One 57 meters (189 feet)
** Informative signs and photos describing the major monuments you view
** An electronic telescope
** A free movie of the history of the Eiffel Tower
** Wax steeplejack painters perched on one of the beams.
Note: The Eiffel Tower is painted every seven years - it takes 15 months and uses 50 tons of paint!
** Observatory of the Tower Top movement
** A section of the spiral staircase that was used by Gustave Eiffel in 1889 to reach the summit when the Eiffel Tower was first opened.
** Interactive Videos and light show
** The Altitude 95 restaurant. This restaurant serves regional French dishes and will require reservations especially if you request a window table. It has large bay windows that overlook the Seine and the Trocadero. 33-(0)1-45-55-20-04
** A Buffet for a quick and less expensive meal.
** A Post Office which is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Besides being able to buy stamps and post cards, you can pick up French philatelic souvenirs. But the real reason you want to visit here is to mail a letter and get the "Paris Tour Eiffel" postmark! There is also an ATM machine.

Level Two 115 meters (379 feet, 8 inches)
** The visitors galaxy where Alias (a robot) guides you through a virtual Eiffel Tower which is made up of stars -- millions of them! Each star is a visitor and you can engrave a star with your own initials and even look it up on the web when you get home! This really is a cool attraction.
** An electronic panel indicating the number of visitors who have entered the Tower since its construction.
** Animated window scenes that tell the history of the towers construction.
** Le Jules Verne restaurant has an excellent reputation and is very expensive. You can get direct access via a private elevator located on the ground floor in the south Pillar. 33 (0)1 45-55-61-44 Reservations are required.
** Another Buffet for a quick and less expensive meal.

Level Three 276 meters (905 feet, 11 inches)
There are two areas here, one sheltered and the other one in the open air.
** Panoramic view of Paris where on a clear day you can see 40 miles.
** Orientation tables which tells the distance to many of the World's major cities as well as their direction.
** A bar
** Dioramas which presentation of events marking the history of communications from the Tower.
** Panoramic tables which indicate the main Parisian sites.
** A replica of Gustave Eiffel's office showing him talking with Thomas Edison.
** A Souvenir shop with Paris and Eiffel Tower memorabilia.

The Eiffel Tower is an amazing, massive, monument and one that should not be missed! The view from the ground, from the glass elevators and from the top - all spectacular!