Eiffel Tower

A symbol of France and the most visited paid monument in the world, with around 7 million visitors a year, the Eiffel Tower was built in two years, two months and five days by engineer Gustave Eiffel and his team for the 1889 Universal Exhibition, to mark the centenary of the French Revolution. A true feat of engineering: at 320 metres, it was the tallest structure in the world for over forty years, until the construction of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930.

Eiffel had originally been granted permission to leave the Tower standing for just 20 years. It was its usefulness for communications and as a laboratory for scientific research that saved it from demolition — earning an extension that ultimately proved permanent.

Its birth was not without controversy: described at the time as an "odious column of bolted sheet metal", the Tower was fiercely opposed by Paris's artistic and literary elite. In 1909, it even came close to being torn down.

Our guided tour will take you through the remarkable history of this extraordinary monument, offering an unforgettable experience and a breathtaking view over the Parisian capital.