On May 6, 1889, the French capital had many reasons to celebrate. Firstly, because it was a century since the French Revolution. Included in the celebrations of this anniversary was the so-called Exposition Universelle, the international exhibition that opened its doors to the public that day. But the excitement of the Parisians did not stop there: together with the Exhibition, one of the symbols of France that survives to this day, the Eiffel Tower, was also opened to the public.
Its construction began on January 28, 1887, when an army of workers began a massive excavation effort. Located on the banks of the Seine, the construction site occupied over 16,000 square meters, which required the removal of trees and soil, as well as the rerouting of the drainage system, to allow for the necessary preparation of the tower’s foundations. Despite the size of the project, meticulous planning and coordination ensured the successful creation of the tower’s footprint, which spanned a square of 129 meters and 22 centimeters on each side.
Gustave Eiffel, the visionary behind the design of the tower, used innovative techniques to deal with the unique geological data of the area. Detailed ballistics revealed the composition of the soil, which consisted of a layer of plastic clay resting on top of the chalk of the Paris basin. For the pylons furthest from the Seine, a layer of sand and gravel provided a suitable foundation, while for the two forward pylons pneumatic foundations were used, which necessitated the use of watertight sheet metal chambers sunk underwater and filled with concrete. .
Assembly of the tower’s metal frame began on June 30, 1887, presenting many challenges for the construction team. Placing the cross beams on the base required delicate maneuvering, with wooden models used to simulate the difficult process of guiding the iron components into place. Structural piers were erected to support the beams that carried the first floor, facilitating precise alignment and ensuring a seamless connection of the ironwork.
Specialist cranes were instrumental in lifting and placing the iron elements of the tower, allowing construction to progress rapidly. From 150 meters up, the assembly process proceeded with remarkable efficiency, culminating in the completion of the tower’s second platform within twelve months. On July 14, 1888, as Eiffel had promised, fireworks lit up the Parisian sky, marking the tower’s ascent to a height of 115 meters and heralding its character as a symbol of French innovation and excellence.
On May 6, 1889, the Eiffel Tower was officially inaugurated in a ceremony attended by dignitaries and visitors from around the world. Eiffel climbed the 1,710 steps leading to the top of the tower to raise the French flag, as a symbol of the triumph of French engineering, accompanied by ceremonial cannon fire. The opening was accompanied by an impressive display of fireworks that lit up the Parisian sky, marking the beginning of a new era in the history of architecture, but also of the Parisian capital. Within twenty days of the tower’s opening, over 30,000 visitors rushed to see this architectural wonder up close, before the elevators were even installed. The Eiffel Tower remained the tallest building in the world until the construction of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930.
Column editor: Myrto Katsigera, Vassilis Minakakis, Antigoni-Despina Poimenidou, Athanasios Syroplakis