Luna Sofia Maldonado Fagundes

6o ano A - Inglés - 27th of October 2023 – Teacher Adjane

The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is a historic attraction located in France, it was made to be presented at the
"Universal Exhibition of Paris", the event was a competition of professionals (architects and
engineers) and the objective was to make something that represented 100 years of the French
Revolution. It was built from 1887 to 1889. Today it is 136 years old.

There are several facilities at the Eiffel Tower that allow you to visit, you can enjoy the
beautiful view from up there. You can take advantage of being in France and see the Mona Lisa
painting, it became famous after being stolen by former "Louvre" employee Vicenzo Peruggia. The
person who created the painting Mona Lisa was Leonardo da Vinci, he is very well known, Son of
Caterina Lippi and Notary Pietro da Vinci, Leonardo was born on 04/15/1452 and died on
05/02/1519 at the age of 67, he died of a stroke cerebral, his body was buried in the convent of the
"Saint Florentin" church, in his will he asked for 60 beggars to be part of his procession.

Eiffel Tower is located at Anatole Avenue in Paris - France. Mona Lisa painting is in the
Louvre Museum which is also in Paris.

Some curiosities about the Eiffel Tower:

1. The Tower was not meant to be maintained forever

The Eiffel Tower was built as a temporary exhibit for the 1889 World's Fair in Paris, which celebrated
the centennial of the French Revolution. In an attempt to prolong the life of the Tower, Gustave
Eiffel erected a radio antenna and wireless telegraphy transmitter on the Tower. The French
government decided that the tower was too useful to be dismantled. The Eiffel Tower is still used to
broadcast radio and television programs around the world today.

2. The Eiffel Tower changes size

The tower's metal contracts in the winter and expands in the summer, allowing the tower to change
size throughout the year. The height of the Eiffel Tower can change by up to 15 cm. This happens
because the refined iron, from which the Tower is made, is sensitive to temperature variations. So,
when temperatures rise, the Tower increases in size thanks to thermal expansion and during winter
the structure contracts.

3. The Tower can move

The tower was created to withstand strong winds. However, it rocks during storms, and if weather
conditions worsen, you may see it move. This isn't the only weather phenomenon that makes the
tower move. In addition to making it expand, the sun also causes the tower to tilt away from it.
Because the sun only hits one of the four pillars, the Eiffel Tower tends to tilt. On a sunny day, the
top of the tower can move in a circle 6 inches in diameter.

4. There's a secret apartment at the top

At the top of the tower, architect Gustave Eiffel built a private apartment where he could carry out
experiments and entertain distinguished visitors. One of his most notable guests was Thomas
Edison. The office offers one of the best views of the tower, but has been closed to visitors for many
years. However, you can see realistic wax figures of Eiffel, his daughter Claire and Thomas Edison
talking in the room.

5. The Tower is painted in a variety of colors

Built with refined iron, the tower received several layers of paint to protect it from oxidation. To
ensure its long service life, the tower is repainted every seven years. Even today, the painting is done
by hand, after peeling, cleaning and applying a rust-proof material to its entire 300 meters. Over the
years, the Tower has taken on various shades, from Venetian red to yellow-orange tones. In 1968,
the tower took on a color that became known as Eiffel Tower Brown. The color of the tower is made
with three shades of brown, the darkest at the top and the lightest at the bottom. The coloring is
intended to hide haze from the air and give the structure a uniform appearance from top to bottom.

6. The Tower once housed a post office

The Eiffel Tower has had several facilities since its creation, including Gustav Eiffel's penthouse
apartment, the Le Figaro newsroom, a radio station and even a theater! One of the most interesting
installations was the post office on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. Located 187 meters above the
ground, it was considered the smallest Parisian post office and allowed people to send
correspondence with collector's stamps and the famous postmark illustrated with the Eiffel Tower.
Mailboxes were available on each floor so that visitors could send postcards, stamped with
postmarks certifying their passage through each level of the Tower.