Undoubtedly, the Eiffel Tower is the most iconic symbol of Paris and one of the most emblematic and recognized monuments in the world, which you can not miss if you have the opportunity to be in the French capital, better known as the City of Light.In LOCK & enjoy! we want to tell you a series of curiosities of the Eiffel Tower that you did not know and that will make you enjoy even more the visit to this monument.
A majestic puddled iron structure that dominates the Parisian skyline, it offers breathtaking views, has a fascinating history and an imposing presence throughout the city.
A mandatory stop, even if you are only in the city for a few hours, at LOCK & enjoy! we have two luggage Lockers in Pariswhere you can leave your luggage safely and travel around the city comfortably without having to carry it with you.
In fact, we have a locker at the Eiffel Tower, located in a prime location at 3 Rue Augereau, just a few minutes walk from the tower.
Now that you know our Lockers, we are going to tell you 10 curious facts about the Eiffel Tower that will not leave you indifferent.
10 Curiosities of the Eiffel Tower that you didn’t know about
1 – Initially it would be temporary
One of the most surprising anecdotes and curiosities of the Eiffel Tower is that Gustave Eiffel designed the tower as a temporary structure for the Universal Exposition of 1889, which was expected to last about 20 years.
The reason for extending its useful life is that the tower had great utility as a radio antenna, and today, more than 130 years later, it is one of the most visited monuments in the world.
2 – Hitler tried to destroy it
During World War II, when Paris was under Nazi occupation, Adolf Hitler ordered the Eiffel Tower to be demolished, considering that the symbol of Paris should not survive.
Fortunately, the Nazi commander in charge of executing this order never carried it out, which allowed the tower to remain standing after the end of the war.
3 – It has a secret room
Another curious thing about the Eiffel Tower is that at the top of the tower there is a secret room that Gustave Eiffel himself built for private use, which was not accessible to the public until not too long ago.
Although it was not his place of residence, Eiffel used this room to show the tower to special friends and to conduct scientific experiments. Today, if you go to the tower you can visit this room.
4 – Cannot be photographed at night
Surprisingly, although it is one of the most photographed monuments in the world, images of the Eiffel Tower illuminated at night are protected by copyright, since the night lighting designed by Pierre Bideau in 1985 is considered an artistic work in its own right.
Legally, to take a photo from the illuminated tower you need the authorization of the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), although in fact, this rule only applies to professional photographers who want to use their images for commercial purposes.
5 – It is illuminated by more than 20,000 LED bulbs.
Directly related to the previous point, the Eiffel Tower is illuminated by more than 20,000 LED bulbs, hence the tower at night is one of the most impressive spectacles that can be seen not only in Paris, but around the world.
6 – Resizing
One of the curiosities about the measurement of the Eiffel Tower is that it is not always the same height. Yes, and this is something that is due to the iron with which it is constructed, which expands as temperatures rise, increasing its size.
According to experts, in summer it can be 10 to 15 centimeters taller than in winter due to the thermal exposure of the metal. A change in height that, although imperceptible to the human eye, demonstrates that even apparently static structures are constantly changing.
7 – It is A-shaped
If you look closely, the Eiffel Tower is shaped like the letter A, which many interpret as a tribute to its creator.
In addition to aesthetics, Gustave Eiffel chose this design strategically to cope with wind conditions, which allows it to resist strong wind currents without any risk.
8 – It was built in only two years
Despite its size and imposing design, you may be surprised that the Eiffel Tower was built in only two years, beginning its creation in 1887 and being ready in 1889.
Specifically, the construction time was two years, two months and five days, made possible by the precision of the calculations and the work of more than 300 workers who worked tirelessly to complete the structure in time for the Universal Exposition.
9 – Can move
Due to its height and flexible iron structure, the Eiffel Tower can move slightly in the wind. Although it is a minimal oscillation, between 6 and 7 centimeters, this movement is part of its original design to make it more resistant to weather conditions.
Gustave Eiffel planned this flexibility to avoid structural damage and, over the years, it has proven to be a very effective design.
10 – Weighs more than 10,000 tons
We finish our list of curiosities of the Eiffel Tower with its weight, which reaches 10,100 tons, spread over 330 meters high and more than 18,000 pieces of iron joined by two and a half million rivets.
Now that you know these curiosities, book your locker in Paris with LOCK & enjoy! and enjoy the Eiffel Tower without having to worry about carrying your luggage.
