Paris. Oh, Paris.
City of lights, hopeless romantics, sophistication and beauty. Home to the Louvre, the Notre Dame, the Champs-Élysées, the Musée d’Orsay, and, of course…. that big pointy metal tower that dominates every Parisian skyline.
“I ought to be jealous of the tower. She is more famous than I am.”
― Gustave Eiffel
This week I am participating in Travel Tuesday’s themed prompt- ‘Local legends’ | The urban myths and stories you have come upon while traveling, in your expat life, or ones from your hometown.
When reading this month’s theme, I couldn’t help but think back to last year’s trip to Paris.
Paris is home to so so many of the world’s most famed tourist attractions. Still, the one that’s bound to stand out in everyone’s mind, the most visited paid monument in the world, the icon that has become a symbol of Paris itself, is of course- the Eiffel Tower.
We all recognize this magnificent structure and many of us have even developed feelings toward this pointed iron lattice, but there is much more to the Eiffel Tower than meets the eye.
Thanks to a few quirky tour guides and a little fact-checking, I’ve uncovered some of the true stories behind our beloved tower! Thankfully, this Travel Tuesday theme has made it the perfect time to finally share!
I’m sorry ahead of time if these stories ruin anyone’s picture perfect image of Parí. Hey- if you’re nervous, turn back now. I won’t hold it against you 😀
Without further ado, here’s what you didn’t know about the Eiffel Tower:
The Eiffel Tower was never meant to stand today.
Originally the Eiffel Tower was intended to be a temporary structure. The monument was constructed during the 1880’s for the World’s Fair and to mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. The point was to briefly showcase modern French engineering and dismantle the “gigantic eyesore” (just telling you what I heard) after only 20 years. Even after the tower attracted significant attention (and profits) from millions of visitors around the world, the city and many protestors vied to destroy it. So, why did they end up keeping it you may ask? In the end, the city of Paris decided to allow the tower to stand, not for its fame or for its fortune, but for its communication value as a radio tower.
The Eiffel Tower faced the guillotine.
Around 700 monument designs were submitted in the contest to represent Paris in the World Fair. At the time, this monument was to be the tallest manmade structure in the world, surpassing the Lincoln Monument (kind of a big deal). Among the eclectic designs submitted were a lighthouse, an enormous sprinkler and a gigantic guillotine. Luckily for us, Gustave Eiffel’s tower was unanimously selected in the decision!
The tower was originally red.
Over the years, the Eiffel tower has taken on the role of a sort of chameleon. When the tower was first erected in the 1880’s, it was painted a shade of red! Since then, it has changed colors over 18 times from reds to browns and even spent some time in shades of yellow. On the first floor of the tower you can find a palette of the changing tower colors. Currently, the tower is three different shades of the official “Eiffel Tower Bronze” and is courageously repainted completely by hand every 7 years. I don’t know about you, but you couldn’t pay me enough to hang off the Eiffel Tower with a paintbrush…
Check out the tower’s true hues here.
Alexandre Gustave Eiffel did not design the Eiffel tower.
Although most people give full credit to Alexandre Gustave Eiffel for the existence of our treasured tower, the truth is he had some help; actually, quite a bit. Sure the tower bears his name, but brace yourself, Gustave Eiffel did not design it. Instead, he bought the designs from two engineers that worked for his company, Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier. Gustave Eiffel then submitted these designs, after making a few minor changes, to the Exposition Universelle (the peeps running the contest) under his name.
The Eiffel Tower is married.
Huh? That’s impossible….
Not according to Erika La Tour Eiffel. The American woman, formerly known as Erika LaBrie, tied the knot with the tower back in 2007. Erika’s unique relationship with the tower is due to a condition called Objectophilia or simply put- an object fetish. In fact, the Eiffel Tower is not her first relationship with a prestigious monument. She also claims to have had relations with the Berlin Wall. Now happily married as Erica La Tour Eiffel, she visits the tower as often as she can.
Sorry folks, but if you had hopes of traveling to the City of Lights and falling head over heels for the infamous Eiffel Tower, think again. The tower is taken.
Image source
By the way—if you were hoping to seal the deal on eternal love with a love-lock….
Eternal love really equals 6 months
You know all those couples visiting Paris, that pledge their long-lasting love by placing a symbolic ‘lock’ on the Pont des Arts bridge? Well, these couples may not realize that if they returned, even just one year later, hoping to find their lock and reliving this glorious experience, their symbol of love would no longer remain. According to one of my tour guides, and several online sources, the iconic Pont des Arts Bridge is actually suffering gravely under the weight of these heaps of padlocks. The locks have created such a difference in weight that they are actually considered a health risk to pedestrians. Because of this, the locks are now removed from the grates every 6 months in hopes to keep the bridge intact, only to soon be replaced by hundreds more.
Did you already know any of these facts?
What strange or surprising stories have you heard during your travels?
Linkin’ up for Travel Tuesday’s themed prompt today!! Click on over for more stories, myths and legends!
I have heard some of these facts, but not all of them. Like the guillotine story or the red colour. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks for reading 😀
I had heard of a couple of these – like the removal of the love locks and that the eiffel tower was originally supposed to be temporary. But that story of the woman who is married to the tower was just hilarious!
It’s too good isn’t it haha
I hardly knew any of these facts! I had no idea the tower has gone through so many colour changes! Like you, there is no way I would hang off that thing painting it by hand. Just crazy. Very cool post — thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks Sara. Yeah it took a lot out of me just to go to the top ….. I’m not a big fan of heights
i once saw a TV show about the lady that was married to the eiffel tower, so weird! Great facts:)
Ohh! I want to watch that! I think it’s so interesting haha 😀
Whoa! I learned SO MUCH during this post!! Especially the condition of objectiphilia! And the fact that the locks on the bridge only last 6 months… and there’s STILL that many! Think about how many there would be if they didn’t do that… probably zero because the bridge would no longer exist, haha.
Exactly! By now it definitely would have fallen apart… I understand the ‘tradition’, but thinking that it could actually destroy the bridge makes it seem so silly!
Love this, Lauren! I only knew two of these facts (about the lady marrying the tower and the love locks) so thanks for teaching me so many new things 🙂
No problem Marcella! Thanks for reading 😀
Ok, major eww about the lady marrying the tower! #sorrynotsorry Otherwise, I only knew the last fact about the love locks thanks to a Daily Mail article sometime last year. We’ll be visiting Paris and the Eiffel tower this spring, so this post was apropos for me!
Haha your response just actually made me laugh out loud. Enjoy your trip!! Paris really is unlike any other city!
So cool! I’ve been to the Eiffel Tower but didn’t know many of these! Having a tour guide really can make a huge difference in learning the history/legends of where you are!
It made such a difference! The first time we did it without a guide, which was absolutely fine, but these little stories made the experience just that much better! (and funnier)
I didnt know any of these facts so thanks for sharing – I learned so much (and now cant wait to go back hehe) Im not surprised that the locks are taken off every 6 months – there would be just far too many if not! And I love that it was originally red – I kinda wish it still was 🙂
I just tried to imagine the Eiffel Tower red and honestly couldn’t haha It would be so different! It would definitely stand out more! (not that it doesn’t enough already 😀 )
I had so much fun reading this and learning these facts! I didn’t even go to the Eiffel Tower when I was in Paris (personally, don’t really understand the big deal about it heh). All I knew about the it was that it was originally built for the World Fair and wasn’t supposed to remain. Thank goodness that giant guillotine didn’t win!! I can’t imagine if that was allowed to remain! And WTF about the lady marrying the tower?!? How is that even legal?!
Haha isn’t it so funny! And seriously, imagine the symbol of France was a huge guillotine. Would kind of take away from all those feelings of romance… well only a little .. 😀
I love this post for the local legend prompt! I am almost certain that it just got repainted recently – I swear that this last time I saw it, it looks more golden. Isn’t it funny that everyone thought it was so hideous at first? That’s what they said when the Tour Montparnasse was being built – they were like, remember what all you Parisians thought about the Eiffel Tower? And now you like it. Nope, pretty sure we all think Tour Montparnasse is an eyesore in Paris!
Yeah, I’m not really sure anyone will ever like the Tour Montparnasse…. The only time people like it, is when they are inside of it and can’t see it haha 😀
I had absolutely no clue about the Eiffel Tower! I think Red would actually be an amazing color for it – as long as it was a really great classic Chanel color!
Red would definitely encourage and add to the romantic, lovey feelings of Paris!
I have so many questions about this Mrs. Eiffel Tower.
I could honestly read about her forever …. I wonder if she considers the tower a male or a female… or if gender even matters ..or if her ‘marital status’ effects her taxes … hm .. guess I have a lot of questions also…
I did not know any of these… and I shall go on being content in the fact that I still believe that the Eiffel Tower is one of the most beautiful structures I’ve ever seen! At least until next month, when I will visit her again, and see if our love is still true…. neat post idea though!!
Thanks Sara! I still have special feelings for the Eiffel Tower as well! These were just too good not to share 😀
Love these interesting facts about the Eiffel Tower! Thanks for sharing! Fun to find you on the Travel Tuesday link-up!
Thanks Christy!!
I knew absolutely none of those facts. This was a really cool read!
I had no idea it was possible to be married to an object, I honestly find it a bit creepy she can do that.
And I am right there with ya, no way you could pay me to hang off the side of that tower with a paint brush!
It is pretty creepy… hey to each his own right? And at least she picked a pretty extravagant object hehe
Cool and interesting facts! Looking at the pictures just makes me want to go back to Paris, lay out in front of the tower, and eat my weight in carbs, macaroons, and wine.
-Natalia
http://glitterandpassport.blogspot.com/
Paris tends to do that to people 😀