Have you visited Google’s homepage today? The doodle marks the 126th anniversary of the public opening of the Eiffel Tower.
Made from wrought iron (a more common structural material before the rise of structural steel), the symbol of Paris--and even France as a whole--was built by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. Standing at 1,023 ft, it was the tallest tower in the world at the time of its construction -- a title it would hold until the construction of New York's steel-framed Chrysler Building was completed more than 40 years later.
An estimated 2,500,000 rivets, 7,300 tons of wrought iron and 60 tons of paint were used in the tower's construction, which took a little over two years. The original plan was that the tower would only stand for 20 years, but it quickly became an indispensable icon, and today it welcomes 7 million visitors a year.
YouMagazineTV has created an infographic on the history of the Eiffel Tower, displaying facts about the structure.
Photo: AISC