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Why was the Eiffel Tower built?
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Paris
View of the Paris skyline from Montparnasse.
The Eiffel Tower was built to serve as the entrance gateway to the International Exposition of 1889, a world's fair organized by the French government to celebrate the centenary of the French Revolution.123
To select a design for this monument, the Centennial Committee held a competition, ultimately choosing the proposal submitted by the noted bridge engineer Gustave Eiffel. Beyond its functional role as an entrance, the tower was intended to be a testament to French industrial ingenuity. Although it initially faced skepticism and aesthetic opposition, the structure—built from open-lattice wrought iron—became a technological masterpiece and a defining symbol of Paris.13