Back on my first real trip, while “backpacking” throughout Europe, a friend and I decided it was a good idea to climb the 674 steps to the second platform of the Eiffel Tower. We could have been lazy and taken the elevator, but nah, we decided that some burning in our legs was worthwhile. Until the next day that was, when we really felt the effect on our body.
So why did we decide to climb?
Well for one, it was cheaper. Back then, we were poor college students who could hardly afford three meals a day (we literally ate baguettes and gelato every chance we got, not that I’m complaining by any means.)
And secondly, it was a nice way to burn off some of those calories from all the carbs we were consuming on a daily basis. And let me tell you, despite our frugality, we managed to pack on the pounds throughout our trip.
And once we made it to the top, the views were to die for.
Some interesting facts about the most recognizable landmark of Paris:
The Eiffel Tower in Paris, nicknamed ‘The Iron Lady’, is considered to be the most-visited paid monument in the world.
The Eiffel Tower is painted every 7 years in 3 shades of brown, with the darkest shade at the bottom. Approximately 60 tons of paint is required to paint it.
Although it is impossible to imagine the city of Paris without the Eiffel tower today, it was widely criticized when it was built back in 1880s. In fact, people – including some prominent names from the art community of Paris, went to the extent of calling it an ‘eyesore’ and a ‘black blot’ on the picturesque landscape of the city.
9441 tons of wrought iron were used to build this monstrosity.
The names of 72 prominent French scientists and famous personalities are affixed on the sides of Eiffel Tower just beneath the first platform, 18 names per side.
In clear weather, which is seldom seen nowadays, you can see approximately 42 miles from the top of the Eiffel Tower. During gusty winds, the Eiffel Tower sways up to 15 cm at its summit.
Victor Lustig, a con artist notorious for his scams all over the world, posed as the deputy director-general of the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs, and sold the Eiffel Tower to scrap dealer – Andre Poisson, citing that the city could not afford the maintenance of this structure anymore. Lustig is widely known as ‘The man who sold the Eiffel Tower. Twice.’, today.
Have you ever climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower?
Did your legs burn just as much as mine?!
