Just in time for Paris’ celebration of the 120th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower is a new book by Jill Jonnes which tells the story of the world-famous monument and the extraordinary world’s fair that introduced it.
Since it opened in May 1889, the Eiffel Tower has been an iconic image of modern times-as much a beacon of technological progress as an enduring symbol of Paris and French culture. But as engineer Gustave Eiffel built the now-famous landmark to be the spectacular centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair, he stirred up a storm of vitriol from Parisian tastemakers, lawsuits, and predictions of certain structural calamity.
In Eiffel’s Tower, Jill Jonnes combines technological and social history to create a richly textured portrayal of an age of aspiration, dreams and progress. It is a compelling account of the tower’s creation and a superb portrait of Belle Epoque France.