A trip to the top of the world

Last weekend we took off to mount one of the best known monuments worldwide. We were extremely lucky with the weather and having booked the tickets online we managed to avoid hours of standing in line at the ground level.

An iconic symbol of French culture, liberty, and progress, the Eiffel Tower in Paris was completed for the 1889 World Fair, which happened to coincide with the 100th anneversary of the French Revolution. From the numerous designs submitted as part of a national competition, Alexandre Gustave Eiffel's design won, and he became responsible for constructing the Eiffel Tower in the heart of Paris.

Following our some fun facts about the Eiffel Tower that I shared with my kids while enjoying the extraordianry view:

- Erection of the Eiffel Tower began on January 26, 1887 and was completed on March 31, 1889

- Erection of the Eiffel Tower took 2 years, 2 months, and 5 days from start to finish

- The Eiffel Tower stands 324 meters tall

- The Eiffel Tower has a total of 1710 steps to the topmost third level small platform, 674 steps to the second level, and 347 steps to the first level, all counted from the ground

- The Eiffel Tower was to be dismantled and the metal sold as scrap 20 years after it was constructed, but this never happened

- The Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure when it was built, but this has been surpassed over the years

- Today, the Eiffel Tower is open to the public every day of the year

- Alexandre Gustave Eiffel was the main architect, Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier were the main engineers, Stephen Sauvestre was the main architect, and Jean Compagnon handled the construction of the Eiffel Tower

- Alexandre Gustave Eiffel is the very person who created the internal frame of the Statue of Liberty in the year 1885

 - In clear weather (very seldom seen today) you can see approximately 42 miles from the top of the Eiffel Tower

- The Eiffel Tower belongs to the city of Paris and is given on a renewable contract to a limited company named Societe d'exploitation de la Tour Eiffel

- Over 200 million people have visited the Eiffel Tower since its inception

- Almost 7 MILLION visitors visit Eiffel Tower every year out of which 75% are foreigners

Somewhere down there is our appartment

Oh oh, all of a sudden I am not so sure this was a good idea?!

I was born exactly 5849 km from here!

I'd say we've deserved "une petite flûte"

My back garden where I go jogging 

I dare you to go all the way to the very top

Mr.Eiffel's apartment ontop of the tower. I wonder if he slept well?

Paris at my feet