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When it was first proposed to serve as the grand entryway to the 1889 World's Fair, Parisian bohemians rallied against the erection of the "useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower," as described in a petition titled "Artists against the Eiffel Tower." Originally viewed as an intrusion on the "untouched beauty" of Paris, a perceived "gigantic black smokestack" that would "crush" and "humiliate" the existing stock of famous landmarks, the 324-metre wrought iron lattice tower has become one of the most iconic structures in the world.
Engineer Gustave Eiffel responded to the remarks by likening the tower to the Egyptian Pyramids, praising the grandiose stature of the structure, and noting that it would become the tallest edifice in the world. His predictions about the Eiffel Tower's artistic impact would come true. Despite early criticisms, it's hard to imagine the City of Lights without the Eiffel Tower. It doesn't steal the spotlight from the historic treasures of Paris like the Notre-Dame Cathedral and Arc de Triomphe. Rather, it provides the opportunity to admire these world-class architectural and cultural contributions from a new perspective, allowing the viewer to better understand their contextual and historical relationships.
The Eiffel Tower is the most visited paid monument in the world, attracting nearly seven million people to its three observation decks in 2015. The first two levels, each separated by about 300 steps, also contain restaurants. The 276-metre upper platform is the highest observation deck in the European Union and is usually accessible only by elevator.
The view to the northeast directly across the Seine presents a varied scene of the iconic grey zinc rooftops of Paris lying beyond Jardins du Trocadéro, a large open space. The elaborate Fountain of Warsaw shoots water 12 metres into the air and serves as a dramatic entrance to the Palais de Chaillot. The complex houses several museums that devote space to plaster casts of French monuments, architectural exhibits, maritime collections, and anthropological galleries. The expanse of greenery in the distance denotes the Bois de Boulogne, the second largest park in the city. The dense building cluster of La Défense firmly anchors the top of the image above. Spread across the Courbevoie, Puteaux, and Nanterre communes, Europe's largest purpose-built business district is where most of Paris' tallest skyscrapers are located.
The elongated greenspace of the Champ de Mars dominates the view to the southeast. The park of intricately manicured trees and shrubs was the primary site for the numerous World Fairs that Paris has hosted over the past 150 years. The 1750-established Paris Military School gracefully stands at the endpoint of the sprawling public space. The monolithic 210-metre Tour Maine-Montparnasse imposingly stands tall in the image above. The office skyscraper attracted much of the same criticisms the Eiffel Tower initially received. The outcry led to the restriction of buildings over seven storeys in the city centre.
Directly north, and visible in the image below, the Arc de Triomphe stands in the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. Inaugurated in 1836, the 50-metre monument honours the lives lost during the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars. The famous landmark is an integral component of the Axe historique, a long line of monuments and thoroughfares that connect the Grand Arche in La Défense to the Louvre courtyard.
Also pictured below on the opposite side of the Seine, the Louvre Palace was originally constructed as a fortress during the medieval period. It then became a royal palace under Charles V in the fourteenth century, and is now known as the home of the world's largest museum. Its vast collection of artwork includes Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, which attracts throngs of photographers every year.
The transportable 60-metre-tall Roue de Paris ferris wheel anchors the foot of Tuileries Garden, which fronts the Louvre. The attraction was installed for the 2000 millennium celebrations and subsequently traveled to England, the Netherlands, Thailand, Belgium, and Italy. A short walk to the west brings you to the 1900-built Grand Palais exhibition hall, a cherished cultural venue in the city that is easily identifiable by its domed roof wings. The complex abuts the Beaux-Arts style Pont Alexandre III, arguably the most ornate bridge in Paris. Another nexus of museums, mostly dedicated to contemporary history and the military, is located to the south beyond a greenery-laden open space.
Two of the world's most recognizable Catholic landmarks, the Notre-Dame Cathedral and Sacré-Cœur, are positioned in the distance just below the horizon. Completed in 1345, Notre-Dame is noted for its French Gothic architecture, incorporating flying buttresses and gargoyles. The medieval masterpiece is located on the Île de la Cité, one of only two remaining natural islands in the Seine. Like Notre-Dame, Sacré-Cœur is also prominently situated, perched atop the highest point in the city. Consecrated in 1919, the church was built as a national penance following the 1871 Franco-Prussian War.
When droves of international tourists descend on Paris every year, the Eiffel Tower is one of their first stops. Originally meant to be a temporary fixture, and met with skepticism when first built, the structure has become a national icon. Its three observation decks are early models for success, paving the way for other towers of monumental scale to welcome a wealth of visitors to their own unforgettable viewing platforms.
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