Eiffel Tower at sunset, Paris, France
© Alexander Spatari/Getty Image
The tower that won Paris over. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
No other city is nearly as romanticised as Paris. Yet the French capital's history has not always been as rosy as the sunset glowing behind the Eiffel Tower. Built for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, or the World's Fair, which marked the centennial of the start of the French Revolution, the tower was originally intended to serve as the fair's entrance centrepiece. Designed by engineer Gustave Eiffel and his team, the iron landmark rose more than 300 metres above the Champ de Mars and became the tallest structure in the world at the time.
Many locals criticised the bold design, but it quickly captured the public's imagination. During the World's Fair, millions came to see the monument and enjoy panoramic views unlike any they had experienced before.
Today, visitors can stroll along the Seine and explore old neighbourhoods and museums throughout a city that continues to reinvent itself. As evening falls and the Eiffel Tower glows against the night sky, it remains a powerful symbol of French creativity, ambition and resilience.
Related Images
Athens, Greece, for Greek Independence Day
View of Paris, France, with the Eiffel Tower taken from Notre Dame Cathedral
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway station
Porto, Portugal
New York City skyline with United Nations headquarters
Old town of Lucerne, Switzerland
London Millennium Bridge with St. Paul's Cathedral in the background, London, England
Drones light up the sky over Shenzhen, China
Bing Today Images
