The Eiffel Tower

Every night, I wear a coat of sparkling golden lights. I stand on my four strong legs in a beautiful city called Paris. From way up high, I can see everything. I watch tiny boats float down the Seine river like little toys. On cloudy days, the fluffy white clouds tickle my pointy top. I am made of strong, dark iron, but from far away, I look like I am made of delicate iron lace. People from all over the world come to look up at me and say, “Ooh la la.”. They take pictures and wave. Do you know who I am? I am the Eiffel Tower.

I wasn't always here. A long, long time ago, a very smart man named Gustave Eiffel had a brilliant idea. He wanted to build something amazing for a huge party called the World's Fair in 1889. The party was to show everyone all the wonderful things people could create. So, in 1887, workers began to build me. It was like putting together the biggest puzzle you have ever seen. They used thousands of metal pieces and millions of special pins called rivets to hold me all together. As I got taller and taller, some people in Paris worried. “You are too tall.” they said. “You look like a giant metal skeleton.”. But Gustave and his team kept building. They knew I would be special. Finally, in 1889, I was finished. I was the tallest thing anyone had ever built. When the fair opened, people lined up to climb my stairs and ride my elevators all the way to the top. They were so excited to see their city from above the clouds.

After the big party was over, some people wanted to take me down. They thought I was only for the fair. But I had a secret talent. I discovered I was very good at sending radio messages through the air. My height made it easy for signals to travel far away, helping people talk to each other across long distances. Because I was so useful, I got to stay. Now, I am a famous symbol of Paris. Millions of friends visit me every year. They ride my elevators, eat in my restaurants, and look out from my viewing decks to see the beautiful city. I love to watch families smile and couples hold hands. I am a place for big dreams and happy memories. I show everyone that even if an idea seems strange at first, you can build something wonderful that lasts forever if you do it with heart and imagination.