The Eiffel Tower; our world-famous iron lady

Nestled in the heart of the 16th arrondissement, the Hotel Passy Eiffel delights visitors seeking refined and comfortable accommodation for their break in Paris. Among the countless places of interest in the immediate vicinity of our establishment stands the iconic Eiffel Tower. This symbol of the City of Light is known around the world, but few are fully acquainted with its history. How about you? What do you really know about the Eiffel Tower?

 

The Eiffel Tower was designed to be temporary

Although the Eiffel Tower has dominated the capital’s skyline since 1889, it was not initially intended to be a permanent addition to the city’s heritage. It was one of the temporary structures erected as part of the Universal Exhibition celebrating the centenary of the French Revolution. The concept behind Gustave Eiffel's project was to assemble a tower that could be easily dismantled after the event.

 

A much-loved monument

Today, tourists from around the world make the Eiffel Tower a priority on their Paris itineraries. And yet, this wrought-iron architectural masterpiece was on the receiving end of harsh criticism in its early days. Many Parisians even tried to have it demolished. One of the most famous of its detractors was the writer Guy de Maupassant, who had used to lunch in the restaurant on the first floor, explaining that it was the only place in all Paris where he could admire the view without seeing the tower he hated so much.

 

Some dizzying numbers

Every year, more than seven million people visit the Eiffel Tower, making it one of the world's busiest paid-admission attractions. It is 324 metres high, weighs more than 7,000 tonnes and was assembled using 2,500,000 rivets. Staying at the Hotel Passy Eiffel, you can admire this emblematic monument by day as well as by night, when her majestic frame is dressed in light.

 

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Hotel Passy Eiffel, a 3-star hotel in the heart of the 16th arrondissement