The Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower. Photo: Cătălin Kislinger / Titi Tudorancea Bulletin.

The Eiffel Tower (La Tour Eiffel) is a wrought iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.

Constructed from 1887–89 as the entrance to the 1889 World's Fair, it was initially criticized by some of France's leading artists and intellectuals for its design, but it has become a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognisable structures in the world. The Eiffel Tower is the most-visited paid monument in the world; 6.91 million people ascended it in 2015.

The tower is 324 metres (1,063 ft) tall, about the same height as an 81-storey building, and the tallest structure in Paris. Its base is square, measuring 125 metres (410 ft) on each side. During its construction, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to become the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years until the Chrysler Building in New York City was finished in 1930.

Due to the addition of a broadcasting aerial at the top of the tower in 1957, it is now taller than the Chrysler Building by 5.2 metres (17 ft). Excluding transmitters, the Eiffel Tower is the second-tallest structure in France after the Millau Viaduct.

The tower has three levels for visitors, with restaurants on the first and second levels. The top level's upper platform is 276 m (906 ft) above the ground – the highest observation deck accessible to the public in the European Union. Tickets can be purchased to ascend by stairs or lift (elevator) to the first and second levels. The climb from ground level to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the climb from the first level to the second. Although there is a staircase to the top level, it is usually only accessible by lift.

Go

Address: Champs-de-Mars 7e, 75007 Paris

By metro. Line no. 6, Bir-Hakeim station; line no. 9, Trocadéro station.

By RER. Line C: Champs de Mars - Tour Eiffel station.

By bus. Bus 82, stops: Tour Eiffel or Champ de Mars; Bus 42, stop: Tour Eiffel; Bus 87, stop: Champ de Mars; Bus 69, stop: Champ de Mars.

By bike. Bikes can be rented non-stop from any Velib' station.

By boat. Batobus, the hop on hop off service along the tourist sites on the Seine has stops at Tour Eiffel and the Musee d'Orsay.

By car. The Quai Branly car park located less than 300 metres from the Tower.

The Opening Times

The Eiffel Tower is open every single day of the year, from 9 a.m. to midnight from mid-June to early September, from 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. during the rest of the year. At Easter weekend and during the Spring holidays: extended opening hours to midnight.

Access to the top of the tower may be temporarily interrupted due to adverse weather conditions or due to visitor over congestion.

Rates

Valid from January 1st until October 31st 2017 (could be changed at any time without notice).

• Lift entrance ticket (valid to 2nd floor)

- Adults 11,00 euro
- 12 - 24 years 8,50 euro
- reduced rate 4,00 euro
(4 - 11 years, disabled persons, french job seeker)

• Lift entrance ticket to top

- Adults 17,00 euro
- 12 - 24 years 14,50 euro
- reduced rate 8,00 euro
(4 - 11 years, disabled persons, french job seeker)

• Stairs entrance ticket (valid to 2nd floor)

- Adults 7,00 euro
- 12 - 24 years 5,00 euro
- reduced rate 3,00 euro
(4 - 11 years, disabled persons, french job seeker)

Children under 4 years visit the Eiffel Tower free. Accompanying adults are charged the individual adult rate. Reduced rate applies to persons accompanying disabled people.

See

• The first level - is at a height of 57 m. It can be reached by elevator or climbing the 360 ​​steps.

• Second level - is at a height of 115 m. Between the first and second level are 700 steps. On the second level can be reached by elevator.

• Third level - is at a height of 276 m. Panorama at this level is amazing, stretching up to 80 km.

Second level, The first level, The Eiffel Tower. Photo: Cătălin Kislinger / Titi Tudorancea Bulletin.

The Eiffel Tower. Photo: Cătălin Kislinger / Titi Tudorancea Bulletin.

Third level, The Eiffel Tower. Photo: Cătălin Kislinger / Titi Tudorancea Bulletin.

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