As Brisbane celebrates the 20th anniversary of World Expo ’88 with the construction of a huge wheel, Paris has its own birthday to shout about, the Eiffel Tower’s 120th anniversary celebrations.
Gustave Eiffel’s monumental tower was built between 1887 and 1889 as the entrance for the “Exposition Universelle, ” a World’s Fair which itself marked the centennial celebration of the French Revolution. Eiffel had originally planned to build it in Barcelona, for the 1888 Universal
Exposition , but the Spanish thought it a strange and unduly expensive construction .
The French reacted with a mixture of disdain and admiration to the enormous tower and the celebrated novelist and master of the short story Guy DeMaupassant poured scorn on Eiffel’s masterpiece. He reputedly dined in the tower each day, despite disliking it. When asked why, he answered that it was the one place in Paris where he couldn’t see the Tower.
The tower’s operator, SociI�tI� Nouvelle d’exploitation de la Tour Eiffel, now plans a platform at the top of the tower to alleviate the huge queues at the bottom and Building.co.uk reports that French firm Sereno Architects have submitted their design (pictured) for consideration. This addition is designed to be temporary but bearing in mind that the tower itself was due to be taken down back in 1909 it could be around for the next anniversary…
