Exploring the Three Floors
1st Floor (57 metres)
The first floor features a transparent glass floor that lets you look straight down to the ground 57 metres below. It hosts temporary exhibitions, interactive displays about the tower's history, and Madame Brasserie, a restaurant by celebrated chef Thierry Marx offering French cuisine with panoramic views.
2nd Floor (115 metres)
The second floor is where most visitors agree the views are at their best — high enough to see all of Paris, yet close enough to pick out individual landmarks. This level is home to Le Jules Verne, a Michelin-starred restaurant accessible by a private dedicated elevator. Panoramic viewing platforms circle the entire floor.
Summit (276 metres)
The summit is the highest publicly accessible point of the Eiffel Tower. Here you'll find Gustave Eiffel's restored private office, complete with wax figures of Eiffel and Thomas Edison. The Champagne Bar serves glasses of rosé or white champagne with the most spectacular backdrop in Paris. On a clear day, visibility extends up to 72 kilometres.
History
The Eiffel Tower was built between 1887 and 1889 by engineer Gustave Eiffel as the entrance arch to the 1889 World's Fair, held to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution. The structure is composed of 7,300 tonnes of puddled iron, held together by 2.5 million rivets, and has 1,665 steps from the ground to the top. Originally intended to stand for only 20 years, it was saved from demolition by its usefulness as a radio transmission tower. Today it is repainted every 7 years, requiring approximately 60 tonnes of paint.
Location
The Eiffel Tower stands on the Champ de Mars in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. Address: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris.