Not the highest in the world, the Eiffel Tower takes something else

Japanese, Poles, Brazilians, Americans – all of them scratching their names on the cold gland, the transformation of the most French from the monuments into the symbol of the world in eternal movement.

"The kitty led here to the guests of a frightened little piglery", – says in chinese inscription, mausated in November white paint. Anna – Judging by the mistake in English, German wrote to the marker that "Bila here" in September. "Hello from Ecuador!" – infeamed South American.

Here, from where the entire Paris is visible, it seems strange that visitors spend time on the inscriptions, and do not admire the panorama. But the question arises: why after 114 years after his construction, decade ago lies the fame of the highest construction in the world, Eiffel Tower remains so popular?

Explanations are as diverse as the sophisticated iron pattern, decorating this structure in 90 floors height. But partly the answer is, of course, in the continuation of age. Behind the tower are careful, rust does not threaten her.

"She will survive us all, and for a long time", – says Isabel Enua, employee of a company that supports the state of the monument.

This prediction seemed to be too bold century ago, when I made public my project Gustav Eifel. "Shame Paris" In anger, they called this plan of the shone of France in a protest letter sent to the government on February 14, 1887. – A few weeks after the workers began to dig a pit under the foundation of the tower tower in 1069 feet. The writer Gyuismans called the Tower "rectal candle with holes". Another writer, Leon Blois, dubbed her "truly tragic outdoor lantern".

Time quickly proved how they were wrong. Almost 2 million visitors rose to the Eiffel Tower during the Paris World Exhibition of 1889, having fading from the opportunity to be at such a height in the one, another daiability era. The exhibition, marking the century of the French revolution, was a demonstration of the technological relics of the country and its revival after a shameful defeat in the war with Germany 18 years before. The tower has become the main event of the exhibition.

At the end of last summer, her 200 million visitor passed through the turnstiles. For comparison: Built in 1931. Empire State Building Skyscraper, height than Eiffel Tower, from the time of his discovery passed 110 million visitors.

Adults pay for the entrance ticket about 10 dollars. Profit – almost 6 million dollars in 2001. – Enters the treasury of Paris, which is the owner of the tower. Isabel Enua, a spokesman for Societe Nouvelle d’Exploitation De La Tour Eiffel, which is responsible for the state of the tower, says that this is the most visited facilities in the world with a paid entrance, "Real Money Machine".

And, as it is entitled to the constructive nature, it has become even more popular since the era of mass tourism began. To gather the first hundred visitors, it took 94 years. Two hundredthmillion frontier was achieved in just 19 years after that.

Gustav Eifel expected about 500 thousand. visitors per year; In 2002. They were 6 million 157 thousand. 42 people. One of them became Shao Jupes, a 18-year-old student from Shanghai. "It’s like standing on the top of the world", – He said, looking at the city with a slightly swaying along with the tower on the penetrating December wind of the observation deck.

"This is a symbol of Paris, and Paris is France", – Says South Richar, a 31-year-old Frenchman who has established a record to achieve the second floor of a cycling tower: 747 steps in 19 minutes and four seconds, without touching the floor with the foot. "This is our iron lady. She inspires us".

Inspires? For what? In the end, the tower has no practical purpose. The highest in the world she stopped being in 1930 when they built Chrysler Building in New York. Yes, from her tops are television and radio signals, and Eifel, who died at the age of 91, December 27, 1923., Used her height to conduct research on meteorology, aerodynamics and radio communications.

But, essentially, the tower inspires one of its existence, it is like a motive that every visitor sings, as can. For people with a technically warehouse of the mind, this is a triumph of engineering. For beloved – the incarnation of romanticism. For brave, cascaders and just stubbornits – a challenge: well, show yourself. So, one British couple jumped with a parachute from the top observation deck in 1984., And in 1987. Some New Zealanders – on the rubberized rope from the second floor.

In March, protest slogans against Chinese occupation of Tibet appeared on the tower supports. In 1974. Under it ran 13 young Americans, naked protesters against "Conventions". Ten years later, Veteran Vietnamese War Robert Moriarty on a single-engine aircraft flew under the bottom arch – "just for fun".

The death of hundreds of people is connected with the tower. Most – suicides, but among them also Franz Reikhel – the Usatny Austrian tailor, which in 1912. Jumping from the observation deck of the first tier height of 188 feet to check the action of the coat-parachute invented. They say he died of fear, not having time to touch the Earth, and in the fall of the body, a dent was formed in the Foot.

According to statistics, the first suicide occurred in 1891. – The typographic mechanic hanged himself on the Northern Support, Taking His clothes to Eiffel. The last one, according to Miss Enua, happened two years ago, but this is not the topic that they love to discuss working on the tower.

"You know, it leads people to certain thoughts, "she says. – Attempts from time to time happen, but all the staff – the alert".

As well as all serving tourists. In five languages ​​up to "Kya-Kya" Chinese – Lifter asks tourists to exit on the second floor. There they transplanted into another elevator, the next on the third and top tier. From the windows you can see how the Paris falls down.

Upstairs Some immediately throw scratching brown paint. Others in amazement look at the outskirts.

"Ah, look at this sunbeam", – says Bernette Blerio, Parisian, who at the age of 50 for the first time climbed to the tower, because her niece came here, who came from the south.

"At first, no one wanted her, "says Madame Blerio," But for me, Paris is the Eiffel Tower".