Instead, he stuck to a rarefied guest list of his own choosing, the most often-cited guest being Thomas Edison, who apparently gave Eiffel a sound recording machine. High society cajoled, begged and even tried to rent the apartment but Eiffel stood firm, possibly smarting from the earlier snubs. Īnd all of Paris, those same Parisians who had vilified Eiffel for even building the tower, clamoured for an invite 'up there', 285 meters above Paris. I love the fact that Eiffel built himself a secret room at the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower secret room (but you knew about it, right?) There have been plenty of movies about its destruction and threats against it, but she still stands, an emblem of daring and a symbol of French technological genius (or insanity, if you were living in pre-tower Paris), not to mention the more than 120 broadcast antennae that sit at its summit. Thankfully, the Eiffel Tower's management said No, not trusting the government to bring it back. Then, in the 1960s, President Charles de Gaulle had planned to dismantle the Eiffel Tower and send it to Montreal for Expo 67, having apparently made a secret deal with Quebec. Fortunately, the city's German military governor at the time, Dietrich von Choltiz, was (like many) convinced Hitler had gone crazy and simply ignored the order. Towards the end of World War II, Hitler, incensed at his failure to win the war, ordered Paris razed, and the tower along with it. BUY on AMAZON or from your independent bookshop.īut every so often, the tower's existence came under threat. Eiffel may be the lead actor, but there are plenty of supporting roles: Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley, Thomas Edison and Vincent van Gogh. She veers out into the world and explores the World's Fair for which Eiffel built his tower, a snapshot of the times. Author Jill Jonnes tells us the story of the Eiffel Tower, but not only.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |