For 132 years, the Eiffel Tower has been an iconic part of the skyline of Paris, France. Architect Gustave Eiffel constructed the tower in celebration of the 1889 World’s Fair. Today, the majestic “Iron Lady” is one of the most-visited monuments in the world. Keeping the tower standing tall after more than a century requires constant care—and regular coats of paint.
The Eiffel Tower is made of 7,300 tons of wrought iron. This type of iron is created by melting raw iron in a coal-powered furnace. A tiny amount of carbon (C) from the coal is added to the iron, resulting in an alloy, or metal mixture. The process also removes impurities and strengthens the material. Over time, though, iron can oxidize—chemically combine with oxygen (O)—resulting in weak spots and rust.
For 132 years, the Eiffel Tower has been a famous part of the skyline of Paris, France. Architect Gustave Eiffel built the tower for the 1889 World’s Fair. The tower is known as the “Iron Lady.” Today, this majestic tower is one of the most-visited monuments in the world. It takes constant care to keep the tower standing tall after more than a century. It also takes regular coats of paint.
The Eiffel Tower is made of 7,300 tons of wrought iron. To make this type of iron, workers melt raw iron in a coal-powered furnace. A tiny amount of carbon (C) from the coal is added to the iron. This creates an alloy, or metal mixture. The process also removes unwanted materials and strengthens the iron. But over time, iron can oxidize, or chemically combine with oxygen (O). That causes weak spots and rust.