Building the Eiffel Tower
In 1886, a competition in France was held to design a flagship structure for the upcoming 1889 World Fair. More than a hundred wildly varying submissions. The judges ultimately settled on the design for a colossal wrought-iron tower submitted by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel.
The plan was tremendously ambitious. The nearly 1,000-foot tower would dwarf the 555-foot Washington Monument, at that time the tallest structure in the world, and it would need to be built quickly. Despite protests from some, construction began in January 1887.
Mashable has a series of photos documenting the tower’s construction and ultimate place in French culture and history.
