EIFFEL TOWER DAY
MARCH 31,2023
Eiffel
Tower Day is celebrated on March 31 to commemorate the inaugural anniversary of
the Eiffel Tower. Unveiled to the world on this day 1889, this iconic monument
has withstood the test of time and remains one of the most remarkable wonders
of the world. Standing at 1,063 feet, the Eiffel Tower overlooks the city of
Paris and symbolizes the triumph of modern engineering and western
civilization.
Being
one of the most recognizable monuments of the world, Eiffel Tower Day is a day
of celebration for millions of people. From Calcutta to California, people come
together to raise a toast to this architectural masterpiece.
As
the country completed a century of the French Revolution, the government of
France planned an international fair to display the industrial advancement of
the 19th century. A design competition was held in central Paris and more than
100 artists turned in their ideas.
Among
the contributors was Gustave Eiffel, who proposed an open-lattice iron tower
that would be higher than 1,000 feet. With a loaded resume that included the
Statue of Liberty, he was able to convince the Centennial Committee that this
unimaginable feat was possible. The contract for building the tower was handed
to him in 1887.
Countering
years of skepticism, criticism, and even protests, he began working on the
project on January 28, 1887. In the short span of two years, two months, and
five days he completed the tower and presented it to the French government for
exposition.
Gustave’s
vision breathed new life onto the streets of Paris and transformed it into the
city of love as we know it, although that wasn’t the intention. In his own
words, he wanted the tower to be a symbol of the “great scientific movement of
the eighteenth century and the Revolution of 1789.”
Today,
the tower sits at the heart of Europe and is visited by millions of visitors
every year. Since 2000, the golden grandeur of the tower has been complemented
with 20,000 6W bulbs, flashed on and off in quick succession for five minutes
of every twilight hour. On March 31, we celebrate the genius and his invaluable
gift to the world.
Prof.
John Kurakar
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