Recent, simbolul Parisului, Turnul Eiffel, a implinit 125 de ani. Ii uram multi inainte. Cred ca investitia s-a amortizat demult iar astazi este un mega generator de venituri pentru parizienii care totusi stramba condescendent din nas cand vad cohortele de gura casca inghesuite intre picioarele-i de fier si care incurca traficul auto in zona. Am facut si eu acest “pelerinaj” de vilegiaturist si iata si cateva poze. Urmeaza si unele de noapte. (text/photo: Mihai Constantin) Some Eiffel Tower facts:

It took just over two years to build and was opened on 31 March 1889 as part of the Paris World Fair.

It is named after Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the Tower.

More than 7 million people climb the Tower every year.

It is 324 metres tall and if you choose to, you climb the 600 or so steps to its second floor, then take a lift to the top.

Not everyone loved the design of the Eiffel Tower, thinking it useless and monstrous. Guy de Maupassant is said to have dined in the Tower’s restaurant every day as it was the one place from which you couldn’t see the Tower itself!

The Tower is made of over 18,000 individual parts, joined by 2.5 million rivets – that would take a lot of painting!

The Tower was supposed to be a temporary fixture on the Paris horizon – it was due to come down in 1909 but was allowed to remain.

Radio transmitters were fitted to the Tower at the start of the First World War, making a significant contribution to the French war effort by jamming German radio communications.