On March 31, 1889, the Eiffel Tower was formally dedicated and government representatives went on their first official tour of the structure. At first, many French citizens were not so enamored with the new monument and considered it to be an eyesore, but now it stands as one of the most famous symbols of Paris and is the most-visited paid monument in the world.
The structure is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. It opened to the public as the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair which commemorated the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.
You can virtually climb to the top of the tower for a view of Paris via Google Arts & Culture. More photos and videos are available on the official Eiffel Tower website.
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