Did you know the Eiffel Tower would not exist today had ‘wireless’ radio not been invented in the early 20th century?
The Eiffel Tower was built for the World’s Fair in Paris in 1889 to commemorate the French Revolution of a century earlier. It was a remarkable engineering accomplishment which would eventually become the city’s best known feature and a much-loved national symbol. At the time of its construction, however, it was almost universally detested as a grotesque eyesore.
Gustave Eiffel, the tower’s designer, had a 20-year lease for the structure which he had made so that it could eventually be taken apart. And so it would have been. The planned deconstruction of the tower in 1909 was halted, however, because of the invention of the ‘wireless’ radio by Marconi (and others). The tower, which was and remained the tallest structure in the world until the Chrysler Building (1930), had become extremely useful as a tall, pre-built radio antenna. Though a great many people still considered the tower an eyesore, it was just too useful a thing to tear down.
Gradually, Eiffel’s tower became an accepted part of the Parisian landscape - as the people who originally objected to it all died off. During World War I the radiotelegraphic center in the tower intercepted enemy radio transmissions which led to the detection, capture and execution of the infamous spy Mata Hari. When Paris was taken by Germany in WWII the elevator cables in the tower were cut so that Hitler could not ride to the top to see the city he had conquered. Instead of walking the 1,665 steps to the viewing platform he decided to stay on the ground.
Just think how different the Parisian skyline would be today if the French had started their revolution of 1789 a decade earlier. In that alternate universe, the Eiffel Tower would have been razed in 1899 and all we would have left to remember it by would be old black-and-white pictures.
Here are some great photos of the Eiffel Tower. Enjoy!
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The ‘Paris Minute’ is brought to you by Drew Jensen of Brooklyn Park, MN who offers live performances of the beautiful music of Frederic Chopin in a presentation titled ‘Chopin and the Romantic Era: The July Monarchy in Paris (1830-1848).’ He is available for private bookings in the Twin Cities area at an affordable rate. Consider inviting him over; you and your guests will be entranced and fascinated. Contact drew@agoranova.com.
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