With the magic of light, the Eiffel Tower can be seen as a glittering beacon
KARACHI: The Eiffel Tower was built by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 Exposition Universally, which was held to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the French Revolution.
Its construction was completed in two years, two months and five days, and it was a veritable technical and architectural achievement. It was a demonstration of French engineering, and a defining moment of the industrial era, and the success was termed ‘utopia achieved’ while the tower was seen as a symbol of technological capability.
Initially, the tower was intended to last only 20 years, but it was saved by the scientific experiments that Eiffel encouraged, particularly the first radio transmissions followed by telecommunications. It served as a military radio post in 1903 and later on transmitted the first public radio programme in 1925.
Since the 1980s, the monument has regularly been renovated, restored and adapted for an ever-growing public. Over the decades, the Eiffel Tower has seen remarkable achievements, extraordinary light shows, and prestigious visitors. It has always inspired artists and challenges.
The tower has even served as a stage for numerous events of international significance such as light shows, among which were the pyrotechnic show to mark the Year 2000, lighting the tower blue to mark France’s Presidency of the European Union and multi-colour lights to mark the tower’s anniversary. It has even been at the centre of unusual fixtures such as an ice rink.
With the magic of light, the Eiffel Tower can be seen as a glittering beacon. As people make their way up to the top of the tower, they can view a spectacular panoramic view of Paris.
Maheen Ahmed
Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2019.
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