Eiffel Tower

Learn about the history of the Eiffel Tower in Paris with iMinds Travel's insightful fast knowledge series. It was once the tallest building in the world. Each year it attracts millions of visitors making it the worlds most visited paid monument. It is both a global icon and the symbol of an entire nation. Yet, it was actually intended to be taken down and sold as scrap metal just a few decades after its erection. We are talking about the Eiffel Tower; the postcard image of France and a modern engineering masterpiece. In 1889, France would celebrate the 100th anniversary of the start of the French Revolution. Planning for the celebrations began in 1885 and organisers soon came up with the idea of building a huge monument on the Champ de Mars. They wanted it to surpass the recently completed Washington monument which had been erected in the United States to commemorate President Washington. This rival building stood at 557 feet, or 170 metres, and was, at the time, the tallest building in the world. It had taken over 30 years to build. But the French had less than three years to complete work on a structure that would eventually be almost twice this height. iMinds will tell you the story behind the place with its innovative travel series, transporting the armchair traveller or getting you in the mood for discover on route to your destination. iMinds brings targeted knowledge to your eReading device with short information segments to whet your mental appetite and broaden your mind.