Our favorite things about the famous French landmark.
It took two years, two months, and five days to finish.
And while you might think you know the Eiffel Tower, it’s not without its secrets.
The Eiffel Tower is arguably the most iconic landmark in Paris' skyline.Credit: Stanley Chen Xi/Getty Images
It has changed color and size throughout the decades and even played a pivotal role in World War I.
Here are our favorite little-known facts about the Eiffel Tower.
saiko3p/Getty Images
The Eiffel Tower almost went by a different name.
Aerial view of the Eiffel Tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France.saiko3p/Getty Images
French artists tried to prevent it from being built.
From conception to construction, the Eiffel Tower was thesource of deep controversyamong Parisians.
Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure
Gustave Eiffel didnt actually design it.
View of the Eiffel Tower from Parc de Belleville.Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure
Despite the Tower being his namesake, Eiffel didn’t design it himself.
At first, Eiffel vetoed their initial sketch, finding it too utilitarian.
He then brought on architect Stephen Sauvestre to improve the overall aesthetics of the project.
View of Paris from the inside of the Eiffel tower.Gim42/Getty Images
But while he wasnt the technical designer of the tower, Eiffel was its biggest champion and protector.
It’s covered in the names of scientists.
While the names were painted over in the early 20th century, they were restored in the 1980s.
The Paris cityscape around the Eiffel Tower.Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure
It has also doubled as a scientific laboratory.
He also invited other scientists to use the lab for their studies.
Ultimately, his approach helped secure the tower a longer lease on life.
The Eiffel Tower lit at night.Leopoldine Bauer/Travel + Leisure
Gim42/Getty Images
A radio antenna saved the Eiffel Tower from being torn down.
The Eiffel Tower once housed a post office and a theater.
Today, the tower is home to restaurants, souvenir shops, and a Champagne bar.
View of looking up into the Eiffel Tower.Kryssia Campos/Getty Images
The Eiffel Towers light show dates back 100 years.
It was almost destroyed during World War II.
The Eiffel Tower changes size with the seasons.
Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure
Gustave Eiffel had a penthouse apartment at the Eiffel Tower.
Theres a Champagne bar at the top.
Is there anything more romantic than sipping Champagne while overlooking the City of Light?
Leopoldine Bauer/Travel + Leisure
It was sold for scraps in 1925by a con artist.
In the wake of Eiffels death in 1923, the monuments fate seemed uncertain.
One unlucky man fell for the scam, but Lustig had already run off to Austria with the money.
Ironically, he returned years later in an attempt to sell the tower once again.
Lustig was eventually imprisoned in the United States at Alcatraz in 1935 and died there in 1947.
The Eiffel Tower was once the tallest building in the world.
Kryssia Campos/Getty Images
Its changed color over the years.
The tower gets a fresh paint job every seven years to protect against oxidation.
The Eiffel Tower is ecofriendly.
The iconic landmark is more than just a pretty faceits also a beacon of renewable energy.
