The bottom portion of the Eiffel Tower is comprised of four independent buttressed legs, a decorative arch, and a triumphal gateway.

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The architect, designer, and engineer of the Eiffel Tower was the man for whom the structure is named, Gustave Eiffel (French, 1832-1923). This historic structure was the main attraction at the Exposition Universalle (International Expo) of 1889 (also known as the World's Fair) that was hosted by and held in the city of Paris. This event also marked the celebration of the Centennial of the Revolution of 1789.

Although the monument has no practical function and was simply constructed as an attraction for the Paris World's Fair, the structure has become synonymous with the ideals of ingenuity, progress, and beauty. The Eiffel Tower was constructed from wrought iron and reinforced truss work. The monument has become a long-standing example of the progress of 19^th century engineering.   Other architects and engineers responded to Eiffel's monument with comparable structures of their own.  The Statue of Liberty and the Ferris Wheel represent prominent examples.

The first level of the base portions of the Eiffel Tower is adorned with the names of great men in French history. The upper levels do not enjoy the same detailing but the height of the Tower is now a main aspect of a visit to the site of Eiffel's masterpiece. Today, the main attraction of the Eiffel Tower is to ride to the top and overlook Paris, the city of lights, at night.

In 1889, when it was built, it was the tallest structure in the world raising to a height of 1,000 feet or approximately 300 meters. The Eiffel Tower remained the tallest structure in the world until the Chrysler building was constructed in 1929 in New York City. It cost 1.5 million dollars to build the Eiffel Tower in 1889 and Gustave Eiffel had to put some of his own money into the project as well.

During the early stages of its construction, critics disliked the Eiffel Tower because of its height. They believed that it didn't relate to Paris. Critics and Parisians viewed Paris as a "low city" and considered the Tower too tall to complement the buildings of the French capital. It was felt that the tower’s height and scale did not have anything to do with Paris. It is interesting to note that today, more than a century later, Paris and the Eiffel Tower are synonymous.