The Eiffel Tower: symbol and controversy in modern France

Eiffel Tower

Modern national monuments hold an important significance for the nations that erect them. However, there are a few monuments that seem to hold more sway over the collective imagination of the world. The Eiffel Tower is one of those monuments.

General Description/Analysis

The Eiffel Tower, begun in 1885 and finished in 1889. It is named for its creator, Gustave Eiffel, and consists of 7,742 tons of iron, over two and a half million rivets, and fifteen thousand individual pieces of metal. It is supported by cross braced lattice girders running from vertical support to vertical support, and rests on a foundation of twenty five square feet masonry piers set in seven feet of concrete below ground. The structure consists of three floors or stages, supported by four legs braced by arches. It tapers from its base to its top point, the final terrace and radio antenna.

In 1981, the French Government made several renovations to the building, including paint stripping, and the construction of glass enclosed buildings within the structure itself, including a restaurant, cinema, and museum.A further innovation was the addition of glass enclosed elevators built to ferry visitors to the first and second levels.

Interpretation

The tower, itself, was the focus of much controversy in its day. In fact, many French considered it to be an ugly distraction from the formal beauty of Paris. Although it is difficult to imagine a Paris without the Eiffel Tower today, one can certainly see their point. Although it was the highest building at the time, it cannot be argued that the structure was particularly elegant in a traditional sense. In fact, many would consider the building to be blatantly industrial -- perhaps reminiscent of Gustave Eiffel's earlier industrial and commercial works.

However, many also consider the tower to be an excellent representation of Paris and the French people. They consider its strong, yet elegant lines to be a symbol of French sensibilities of simple beauty, unfettered by artifice. Further, many consider that its, rather humble beginnings as a World Fair publicity stunt have been replaced by its current position of the symbol of France itself -- a monument that millions of returning French soldiers from World Wars have personally identified as a symbol of home.

Conclusion

The Eiffel Tower is a monument that has captured the collective imagination of the world. It is without doubt, the symbol of Paris, as well as the whole of France. However, the Tower itself is extremely industrial in appearance and construction, and has gained acceptance over many years. Today, many could not imagine a Paris devoid of the structure. However, one has to wonder if this is due to actual architectural merit, or simple circumstance.

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