FR-416783

An official from Paris with a picture taken by Anna, the sender of the card. 

Now France's most instantly recognizable landmark, the Eiffel Tower was built in Paris during 1887-1889 by Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923), a French engineer, for the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.

For this momentous occasion, for which a huge exhibition, Exposition Universelle, was planned, Eiffel wished to erect something extraordinary made from modern materials.

His design, a structure of wrought iron ribs, held together by rivets and resting on a solid masonry foundation, was initially denounced by some as a "tragic lamppost," but its elegance has come to be recognized by most.

Photo by Anna.

FR-416783, sent by Anna.

It stands 985 feet 11 inches (300.5 meters) on a square base measuring 328 feet (100 meters) on each side.

The first story platform is at 189 feet (57.6 meters), with sides 232 feet (70.7 meters) long. The second story platform is at 379 feet (115.5 meters), with sides 134 feet (40.8 meters) long.

There is an intermediate platform at 643 feet (196 meters) -- this is only a point to change elevators. The third story platform is at 905 feet (275.8 meters).

Later a 66-foot (20-meter) television antenna was attached, which extended the tower's total height to 1052 feet (320.7 meters). - in: http://topics.info.com/What-are-the-dimensions-of-the-Eiffel-Tower_773