Arquitetura versus Interesses econômicos: A proposta de extensão da última plataforma da Torre Eiffel em Paris

Inaugurated on 31 March 1889, the Eiffel Tower was built to represent technological development during the 1889 Paris World’s Fair and to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution, which took place in 1789. The French Government planned the exhibition and announced an architectural competition for a monument to be constructed on the Champ de Mars, in central Paris. Several proposals were submitted, and the Centenary Committee selected the project proposed by the firm of engineer Gustave Eiffel.

The winning proposal consisted of a tower with a metal structure that would become the tallest structure in the world at that time. The Eiffel Tower came to symbolise an era known as the Belle Époque, during which beauty and innovation in art and architecture were celebrated in the nineteenth century.

When the twenty-year lease of the World’s Fair site expired in 1909, the Eiffel Tower was almost demolished. However, its value as a radio transmission antenna ultimately ensured its preservation. Today, the Tower—an enduring symbol of the technological innovations of the late nineteenth century—is internationally recognised as the emblem of Paris. Its structure is not only a globally recognised landmark but also one of the most iconic architectural works of the Western world and a powerful symbol of French modernity.