Photo of the Week – May 18, 2012

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Photo of the Week – May 18, 2012
This photo, taken 124 years ago this week, shows the Eiffel Tower under construction in 1888. Nicknamed ‘la dame de fer’ or ‘the iron lady’, the tower was built as a centerpiece for the 1889 World’s Fair. In a proposal of the project in 1885, Gustave Eiffel said that the tower would represent “not only the art of the modern engineer, but also the century of Industry and Science in which we are living, and for which the way was prepared by the great scientific movement of the eighteenth century and by the Revolution of 1789, to which this monument will be built as an expression of France’s gratitude.” The structural construction took just over two years. Initially without elevators, the first ascents to the tower’s summit took over one hour on foot. Once open to the public during the World’s Fair, tickets cost 2 francs for the first level and 5 francs for the top. That’s about $1.15!   This work (Tour Eiffel : Montage des piliers au-dessus du premier étage 15 mai 1888), via Wikimedia Commons) is free of known copyright restrictions.   Subscribe for FREE weekly newsletters. BonjourParis has been a leading France travel and French lifestyle site since 1995.     Readers’ Favorites: Top 100 Books, imports & more at our Amazon store We update our daily selections, including the newest available with an Amazon.com pre-release discount of 30% or more. Find them by starting here at the back of the Travel section, then work backwards page by page in sections that interest you. Current favorites, including bestselling Roger&Gallet unisex fragrance Extra Vieielle Jean-Marie Farina….please click on an image for details.               Click on this banner to link to Amazon.com & your purchases support our site….merci! <br>
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