Our daytime view of The Eiffel Tower. Created by Gustave Eiffel who obtained his engineering degree in 1855, The Eiffel Tower is 300 meters tall. Eiffel began his career as an overseer for railway bridges. The larger bridges he constructed inspired the Eiffel Tower. Winning a contest for the World's Fair, Eiffel secured the majority of the funds required to build the tower.

Even before construction began, the tower was named after Eiffel. On the front of the tower, Eiffel paid homage to 72 scientist whose names are engraved upon the tower. When Eiffel retired, he devoted his time to scientific experiments and his family. At one point, the Eiffel Tower was slotted to be demolished, but Eiffel secured its importance by using it in the world wars to intercept radio transmissions by the enemy.  

During the World's Fair in 1889, The Eiffel Tower served as the entrance to the fair. During the Expostion Eiffel entertained Edison for lunch a top The Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel's office a top the tower had everything, even a baby grand piano. The engineering of this Tower is impressive. With 60 tons of paint and 7,300 tons of metal, the pressure on one square inch at the base weighs no more than the pressure of a linebacker on his tiptoes.

The first lights in the tower were 10,000 gas lamps. In the 1900's these were replaced by 5,000 bulbs.

Since the year 2000, there have been 20,000 bulbs that illuminate the tower each night. At one time The Eiffel Tower was painted red at the base one time that faded to yellow at the top. Now, it is just a lovely shade of grey. Kylie's photo too.

Looking over the Champs de Mars to the Ecole Militaire across the fields where the French Military hold parades and exhibitions.

The view of the Large Palace and Small Palace. You can view the expansive glass ceiling really well.

Across The Seine, a look at the Pont Alexandre III. See the golden topped pillars?

A look across The Seine at modern Paris.

Kylie's photo of The Eiffel Tower.

In the far distance is the Sacre Coeur Basilica. This onion domed basilica was finished only a century ago by Parisians humiliated by the Prussian Army invasion of 1870. Parisians thought the invasion was a punishment for the country's liberal sins. Things got so bad during this four months that the Parisians reverted to cooking up dogs, cats, and even rats they hunted in town. The answer to this problem, build a church. That seemed to always be the answer.

 

Family photo with the Pantheon in the background.

From atop the Eiffel, The Arc de Triomphe.

A view of the Hotel des Invalides and Napoleon's Tombs in gold.

The Louvre, originally a palace, is massive. The gardens to the left are where we had lunch. The expands through all those tall buildings forming a loose U shape.

Can you see Notre Dame rising above the city line? I mentioned the island that Notre Dame sits on. The tree line outlines this little Parisian island.