Dimensions of the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is a monument of very large size, rare are those who are as imposing as it. The statues in the World are smaller, even the statues of large sizes. The buildings are imposing, but apart from a few sets such as the Forbidden City of Beijing or the Kremlin, in Moscow, one can not really find monuments at the size of the Eiffel Tower. But by the way, how much does she measure?

Height and other dimensions

The Eiffel Tower is 324m , currently. It did not cease to grow according to the times, initially it measured "only" 312m, measure taken at the top of the flagpole of the tricolor flag, the highest point. The top of the tower is 301m, without the flag. Being a technical object, it can be measured from every angle, from its surface to the ground, or even to the depth of its foundations, to the surface of the platforms. What is interesting to note is the perfect correspondence between the initial plans, established in 1884, with the measures that we can do currently: They match perfectly, proof of the efficiency of the designers, just as manufacturers of the parts.

The lists below give the sizes of the main pieces of the Eiffel Tower, part by part.

Overall size

Platforms

Weight

Here is a summary of the most significant weights of the tower. For details, or to find a more particular weight, See the weight page of the Eiffel Tower.

Why did you want to create such a tall tower?

It is by going near the tower, feeling crushed by this incredible metal mass, that one can ask the question of why the Eiffel Tower was built. These reasons are quite simple, but we must delve into the spirit of the nineteenth century. The mid-nineteenth century coincides with the beginnings of the industrial revolution, a fantastic era in which we discovered the power of machines and where we improve our knowledge every day. Among his knowledge, a discovery of importance: the possibility of using metals as construction equipment.

Until then all constructions were systematically made of rubble or stone, it is masonry. But masonry does not have infinite resistance: Even the hardest granite crumbles under too much weight. It was therefore necessary to allow a weight limit for buildings. The highest climbed at 170m (The Mile Antonelliana Tower, Turin), but these were already exploits whose choice of materials was preponderant. Iron, for its part, allowed much lighter constructions, so it seemed appropriate for heavy buildings such as sheds and towers. But nobody had ever built these buildings, everything was to discover. Soon engineers calculated tensile strengths, torsion of all possible forms. Some began to build, and their experiences served others. And then came just as quickly a question: Is it possible to build a tower 1000 feet high? Knowing that in the metric system, this value is 300m, in France we translated it by researching methods of building a tower 300m high.

It was an interesting challenge, engineers all over the world were trying to prove their superiority, as much for their personal glories as for the pride of their countries, at a time when the feeling of patriotism was very strong. At the French, it was Gustave Eiffel who was at the forefront of the technique. It is therefore he who has appropriated this challenge. While he was not the only one, but his skills mixed with knowledge of the business world as well as politics have made him take a lead over its competitors. Still, the organizing committee of the 1889 World Fair wanted to see this tower built in Paris: This was the starting point for the adventure of the Eiffel Tower.

Finally, the reason we wanted to build such a high tower is a technological challenge made possible by progress. The rest is just self-denial to design it and a lot of work to complete it.

See also:

Weight of the Eiffel tower

Calculating the forces of the Eiffel tower