The Eiffel Tower | By Free School

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Over the streets of Paris, France, rises the Eiffel Tower. An internationally recognized symbol of France and one of the most famous structures in the world, the Eiffel Tower was originally built as the entrance to the 1889 World's Fair, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. More than 100 artists competed with plans for the monument, but the contract was given to Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, a bridge-builder, architect, and metals expert who had already designed the framework for the Statue of Liberty. The final design required more than 18,000 pieces of iron and 2.5 million rivets to construct. It took hundreds of workers more than 2 years to finish, and when it was completed in March of 1889 it was almost 1,000 feet or more than 300 meters high - more than twice the height of the pyramids at Giza - making it the tallest structure in the world until the Chrysler building was completed in 1930. The tower was originally meant to be a temporary structure and only stand for 20 years. Many of the people of Paris disliked the tower. They thought it was ugly, or that it was dangerous and might fall down. By the time the tower was supposed to be removed, however, people had realized that it was a valuable way to transmit wireless telegraph and radio signals, and city officials decided to keep it. It continues to be used for communications today, with more than 100 antennas on it. Despite its height, the Eiffel Tower is incredibly wind-resistant. It only sways up to five inches in wind, but when the side facing the sun heats up and expands, the top may move up to seven inches from its original position. The tower is completely repainted every seven years to protect it from rusting, using 60 tons of paint each time. Originally, the tower was reddish-brown and the color was changed sometimes when it was repainted. It was once even painted yellow! These days it is painted a bronze color called "Eiffel Tower Brown." Today, the Eiffel tower is the most popular paid attraction in the world, with about 7 million visitors each year. It has been the inspiration for replicas and imitations around the world, from Japan to Guatemala to Las Vegas. No longer considered an eyesore, the Eiffel Tower is an icon of France and is inside the World Heritage Site that includes certain parts of Paris.

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✍ Vocabulary Review (find the word in the text that is suitable to each below description by your comment): 

1. the day on which an important event happened in a previous year
2. a change in the way a country is governed, usually to a different political system and often using violence or war
3. to try to be more successful than someone or something else
4. a structure or building that is built to honour a special person or event
5. a metal pin used to fasten flat pieces of metal or other thick materials such as leather
6. unpleasant to look at; not attractive
7. to broadcast something, or to send out or carry signals or messages using radio, television, etc
8. in the past, the method of sending or receiving messages by electrical or radio signals
9. a structure made of metal rods or wires, often positioned on top of a building or vehicle, that receives or sends radio or television signals
10. not harmed or affected by something
11. to move slowly from side to side
12. a red-brown substance that forms on the surface of iron and steel as a result of decay caused by reacting with air and water
13. someone or something that gives you ideas for doing something
14. an exact copy of an object
15. something copied, or the act of copying
16. an unpleasant or ugly sight in a public place
17. features belonging to the culture of a particular society, such as traditions, languages, or buildings, that were created in the past and still have historical importance

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