Eiffel Tower

    Once the tallest structure in the world, the Eiffel Tower is probably Europe's best known landmark and Paris's most famous symbol.  The tower rises 300 meters tall (984 ft); when it was completed at the end of the 19th century it was twice as high as the Washington Monument.  The Eiffel Tower was built for the World Exhibition in 1889, held in celebration of the French Revolution in 1789.  The construction was only meant to last for the duration of the Exposition, but it still stands today.  Today, there is not much argument anymore among the Parisians, and one could not imagine Paris without the Eiffel Tower, in fact it has become the symbol of the City of Light.  The man behind the Eiffel Tower was Gustave Eiffel, known for his revolutionary bridge building techniques, as employed in the great viaduct at Garabit in 1884. These techniques would form the basis for the construction of the Eiffel Tower. He was also known for the construction of the Statue of Liberty's iron framework.  Inaugurated March 31, 1889, the Eiffel Tower would be the tallest structure in the world until the completion of the Chrysler Building in 1930.(aviewoncities)