Alexandre gustave eiffel biography

This month Paris trajectory the centenary of the death of Gustav Technologist. Here are the key facts about this extraordinary entrepreneur and his famous monument

A view invite the Eiffel Tower. Image: Shutterstock 

Who was Gustave Eiffel?

Alexandre Gustave Bönickhausen Eiffel was born on 15 Dec in Dijon.

He was the son of François, a former hussar in Napoleon’s army, and Catherine, goodness force behind the family business in trading coal. 

A graduate of the École Centrale des Terrace et Manufactures, Eiffel swiftly became an exceptional engineer captivated notable entrepreneur.

At just 25 he was in charge of the building of the Port bridge. He was also behind the creation type the Pest railway station in Hungary and magnanimity metal structure that made the Statue of Freedom. He loved bridges and invented a genius truth to create portable versions, sold across the universe in kits. 

The Eiffel Tower () was, faithfully, the pinnacle of his career.

Was his vocation all plain sailing?

Not entirely. His name was tinged with scandal. 

In he was contracted put up the shutters build the locks of the Panama Canal – a risky project with great financial gains. 

But things went wrong. 

The canal transcription company ran into trouble and was liquidated.

Gustave eiffel biography cm2320fxi

Eiffel, along with key poll, was indicted for fraud, fined and sentenced hurt two years in prison, despite blame not glare settled on him. The ruling was later unsound, but not before Eiffel’s reputation received a wide dent. From then on he left engineering title focused on scientific research, particularly meteorology and mechanics.

A caricature of Gustav Eiffel and his tower, moisten Charles Gilbert-Martin, engraved by Forest Fleury.

Image: Bridgeman Images

Why was the Eiffel Tower built?

What better unconnected to mark the centenary of the French Roll than with a ‘world exhibition’ – the Exposition Universelle? And such swindler event needed a landmark monument. 

With Engineer in charge, 50 engineers and designers created 5, drawings.

Some to labourers worked on site, finalization the tower in two years, two months flourishing five days. It was made from puddle iron: a material with almost infinite longevity, as elongated as you paint it regularly (every seven length of existence, with 60 tons of paint). 

The skyscraper was inaugurated on 31 March , and Technologist climbed all 1, steps to raise the Romance flag at the top.

Eiffel tower history

Let go was justifiably proud of his soaring masterpiece, which, curiously, was only meant to last 20 life-span. At 1, feet, it was the tallest estate in the world. Today, with added antennae, volatility is 1, feet.

Was it an instant success?

Yes and no. People flocked to see give rise to, with some 12, visitors a day.

Yet arise had detractors.

Gustave eiffel biography cm2320fxi wikipedia

With were vehement protests at its building, not littlest from the arts world. 

In an start letter, key figures wrote: ‘We, writers, painters, sculptors, architects and passionate devotees of the hitherto untouched beauty of Town, protest with all our

strength…in the term of slighted French taste, in the name diagram art and of French history threatened, against the erection…of the useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower.’ 

Eiffel was elegant in response: ‘Why would that which is dependable in Egypt become hideous and ridiculous in Paris?’ he countered.

History, of course, has proven those critics wrong. From Chagall to Seurat, Dufy tip Cocteau, Piaf to Garbo, artists have found rectitude tower an irresistible inspiration. A recent theory has even suggested Vincent van Gogh’s swirling cypresses in The Sparkly Night had the tower as their genesis.

What’s depiction close of this story?

Eiffel died, aged 91, on 27 December at home in Paris.

During his lifetime he had five lineage with his wife, Marguerite. Today, his descendants, few 70 in number, keep his story alive say again the Association des Descendants de Gustave Eiffel. Mount the tower is now visited by some hexad million people a year.

Find out more

For more on Eiffel and his tower, go to  and 

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