The Eiffel Tower was erected for the World Fair and it was inaugurated by the Prince of Wales who went on to become King Edward VII later on. The tower was entrance arch into the exhibition and it was the most visited site during the fair. Now, the Eiffel Tower is the symbol of not only Paris, but France as a whole. It is one of the most recognized structures in the world and since its construction in 1889 and over 200,000,000 people have visited it, making the tower the most visited monument in the world.
Seven hundred proposals were submitted in a design competition but it was the radical design of French engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel that was unanimously chosen. Some 300 people signed a petition to prevent the city government from constructing the tower. They felt that the Eiffel Tower would be useless and monstrous while endangering French art and history.
La Tour d'Eiffel played an important role in capturing the infamous spy Mata Hari during World War I. After this, it gained acceptance among the French populous. Beginning of 1910, it became a part of the International Time Service and the French Radio has been using the tower since 1918. The French Television started scientifically using the height of the tower from 1957. The controversy surrounding its construction and the use of the Eiffel Tower has made it extremely famous. Today this fantastic structure of iron and rivets is iconic symbol of Paris, the city of love. People from all over the world come to Paris just to marvel at this human-made wonder.
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