The Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower was built for the Internationalof Paris of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution.Of the 700 proposals submitted in adesign competition,Gustave Eiffel’s was unanimously chosen.The Prince of Wales,later King Edward WII of England, opened the tower. However it was not accepted by all at first, and a petition of 300 namesincluding those of Maupassant, Emile Zola, Charles Garnier (architect of the Opera Garnier),and Dumas the Younger--protested its construction. At 300 metres(320.75m including antenna).and 7000 tons, it was the world’s tallest building until 1930. It was almost torn down in 1909, but was saved because of its antennaused for telegraphy at that time. Beginning in 1910 it became part of het International Time Service. French radio (since 1918), and French television(since 1957) have also made use of its stature. During its lifetime, the the Eiffel Tower has also witnesseda few strange scenes, including being scaled by a mountaineer in 1954, and parachuted off in 1984 by two Englishmen.In1923 a journalist rode a bicycle down from the first level. Some accounts say he rode down the stairs, other accounts suggest the exterior of one of the tower’s four legs which slope outward. However, if its birth was difficult, it is now completely accepted and must be listed as one of the symbols of Paris itself. 埃菲尔铁塔 埃菲尔铁塔为1889年巴黎国际博览会而建,以纪念法国革命一百周年。在铁塔的比赛设计中,上交的设计方案有700个,结果大家一致选择的是古斯塔夫·埃菲尔的方案。威尔士王子,就是后来英国的国王爱德华七世,为铁塔揭幕。 然而,铁塔建设之初,并不是所有的人都接受这个方案。曾有300人请愿反对建塔,器重有莫泊桑、埃米尔·左拉。查尔斯·加尼尔(加尼尔剧院的设计师)和小仲马。 埃菲尔铁塔高300米(加天线有320.75米),重7000吨,是1930年之前世界上最高的建筑。 1909年铁塔差点被拆掉,但因为塔上的天线当时是用来发电报的,因此塔被保留了下来。从1920年开始,铁塔成了国际授时台的一部分。法国电台(从1918年起)和法国电视台(从1957年起)都利用了铁塔的高度。 建成后,埃菲尔铁塔上发生了一些奇怪的事。1954年一位登山运动员爬上了铁塔,1984年两位英国人从塔顶跳伞而下。1923年,一位记者从第一级骑自行车而下。一种说法是,他是顺梯级骑下来的,另一种说法是,他是顺铁塔四条外斜的塔脚外表面骑下来的。 不管怎样,尽管铁塔诞生时难产,但如今已完全被接受了,而且必须列为巴黎本身的象征之一。
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