Listed as one of the seven wonders of the world, the Eiffel Tower was one of the more prominent architecture of the 19th century. I was a little surprised to find out that the tower was actually meant to be a temporary exhibit built for Exposition Universelle. It was scheduled to be torn down in 1909 but city officials decided to save it after realizing its value as a telegraph station.
During World War I, the tower intercepted the enemy’s radio communications, delivered zepplin alerts and was used to dispatch emergency troop reinforcements. The tower avoided being scrapped a second time during World War II, when Hitler ordered for it to be demolished but somehow, the command was never carried out. Also during the period when Germans occupied Paris, French resistance fighters often cut the tower’s elevator cables so as to obstruct the Nazis’ way up.
Having survived so many high profile events, it’s no wonder the Eiffel Tower is one of the most recognizable architecture in the world today. To preserve this wonder of the world, the tower underwent a huge renovation in 1986 and is being repainted every seven years.
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