The Eiffel Tower was built between 1887 and 1889 for the 1889 Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair) in Paris, held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution and to showcase French engineering prowess. It was intended as a temporary, monumental entrance arch and a bold demonstration of modern iron construction, symbolizing France’s industrial and technological strength at the end of the 19th century.

Quick Scoop

  • Construction period: Work began in January 1887 and the tower was structurally completed on March 31, 1889, taking just over two years.
  • Official opening: The tower opened to the public during the 1889 World’s Fair later that year.
  • Main purpose: To serve as the centerpiece and entrance symbol of the Exposition Universelle, marking the French Revolution’s centenary and highlighting cutting‑edge iron engineering.

When it was built

  • A national competition selected the design for a 300‑meter tower as the fair’s showpiece project for 1889.
  • Foundations started in January 1887, and the iron structure rose in stages until completion in March 1889, an unusually fast schedule for the time.

Why it was built

  • The tower was conceived to impress visitors at the World’s Fair with a dramatic symbol of French industrial progress and engineering talent.
  • It also functioned as a demonstration of the possibilities of wrought‑iron construction at great height, at a time when nations competed to build taller and more innovative structures.

Beyond the fair

  • Though designed as a temporary structure with a 20‑year permit, it was kept thanks in part to its usefulness for scientific experiments and radio/telegraph transmissions in the early 20th century.
  • Over time it shifted from controversial experiment to beloved landmark, becoming one of the most visited monuments in the world and an enduring emblem of Paris and France.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.