The Eiffel Tower

Jan set up a tour of the Eiffel Tower tonight that enabled us to jump the lines.  Our tour guide took us directly to an elevator and we got out on the second stop.  After that, the daring can walk up, but there is also a small elevator that goes to the top.

The best views for spotting landmarks are on the second floor.  On top you are too far above everything to sort it out.

Fun facts about the Eiffel Tower.  Gustave Eiffel built the tower out of iron for the 1889 World's Fair.  It was a gateway to the fair itself and the plan was to take it down after the fair, otherwise he might have used steel.  The tower must be sanded and repainted every 10 to 15 years.  It takes 18 months and 50 thousand ton's of paint to cover every strut, connector and support. 

When he completed the project, which took two years, the French government told him they did not have the money to pay his bill but that he could keep concession monies paid by people that came to see it.  He contracted with the Otis Elevator folks who designed an elevator that can move sideways and it pushed upwards by hydraulics. 

Although elevators were not part of the original design, the 25 million patrons who came to the World's Fair were willing to pay a fee to go up the tower and look out over Paris.  He made his money back for the elevators and the tower in six months.  His contract to keep the concession money lasted another 19 1/2 months.  He chose wisely.

At night, after dark, the tower is illuminated and on the hour and half hour they turn on sparkles for five minutes.  It's very pretty.