It’s an icon of France. Almost anyone in the world knows that the Eiffel Tower is a landmark in Paris.
It was erected on Champs de Mars beside the Seine River between 1887 and 1889, designed by architect Gustave Eiffel. In the summer 2008, the Eiffel Tower became adorned with a symbol of the European Union, EU.
After France took over the presidency of EU in the second half of 2008, twelve yellow stars - as in the EU flag - were mounted on the north-west side of the tower between the first and the second level.
Typical for the French, some might say, but it’s hard to deny that the 1,063 ft (324 meter) iron structure is indeed the most famous landmark in Europe.
Perhaps one day the Eiffel Towel will be the symbol of Europe equal to what the Statue of Liberty is to USA. You gotta admit, it does fit the tower beautifully.
Most people don’t realize that stars have always been a part of the Eiffel Tower since the very beginning.
The tower was built to be resistant to wind and is constructed with triangles similar to many bridges. The triangles are placed against each other and form stars with eight points.
Because of the wind resistance, the tower sways only 3.5 inches (9 cm) and mostly caused by the heat that expands the metal.
Zoom in a little and the stars become visible. Click on the image above to the right to see one of the stars in large format.
I like receiving postcards, and I would very much like you to mail me one from your vacation.