Today In History: March 31 1889

Shortly after one on the afternoon of Sunday, March 31, 1889 the French engineer Gustave Eiffel climbed the 1.710 steps of the Tower named after him to place at its top a French flag and opening. The Eiffel Tower would eventually become the most famous in France. The Eiffel Tower was built during the Exposition Universelle of 1889 held in Paris, which also commemorated the centenary of the French Revolution. The work began on January 28, 1887 and concluded two years, two months and five days later, a record for that time period. Building a wrought-iron tower 300 meters high was a great technical challenge so it became one of the main attractions of the exhibition and later a symbol of the city.