Tim the Yowie Man celebrates the history of Paris' beloved Eiffel Tower

Tim the Yowie Man takes his column to Paris to pay tribute to 100 years since the death of Gustave Eiffel, the man behind France’s famous tower.

Transcript

00:00 Bonjour!

00:01 Now this year marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Gustave Eiffel.

00:07 He's the man responsible for the construction of one of the world's most iconic landmarks,

00:13 the Eiffel Tower.

00:16 While most tourists catch the lift to the viewing platforms of the 330 metre higher

00:21 wrought iron lattice tower, yes that's almost seven times taller than Canberra's Carillion

00:26 and 145 metres higher than Telstra Tower, you can also clamber up the stairs.

00:34 If you make it to the top level, there is an apartment built for Gustave Eiffel's private

00:39 use when he built the tower as part of a world fair to celebrate 100 years of the French

00:44 Revolution.

00:45 Incredibly, Eiffel had a permit for the tower to stand, forget this, only 20 years.

00:54 It was to be dismantled in 1909 when its ownership would revert to the city of Paris.

00:59 The city had planned to tear it down.

01:02 Part of the original contest rules for designing a tower was that it should be easy to dismantle.

01:06 But as the tower proved to be valuable for many innovations in the early 20th century,

01:10 particularly radio telegraphy, it was allowed to stand.

01:15 Not surprisingly, the tower was of strategic importance during both world wars.

01:21 In 1914, at the outbreak of World War I, a radio transmitter located in the tower jammed

01:26 German radio communications, seriously hindering their advance on Paris and contributing to

01:31 Allied victory at the First Battle of the Marne.

01:35 Then upon the German occupation of Paris in 1940, the lift cables were cut by the French

01:40 and German soldiers then had to climb the tower to hoist a swastika flag.

01:46 Apparently the flag was so large it blew away just a few hours later and was replaced by

01:50 a smaller one.

01:51 When the Allies were nearing Paris in August of 1944, Hitler ordered the military governor

01:57 of Paris to demolish the tower along with the rest of the city.

02:02 Thankfully the governor disobeyed the order and now tourists like me can huff and puff

02:09 their way up the staircase to enjoy one of Europe's most celebrated views.

02:16 Although officially recorded at 330 metres, the height of the tower actually changes with

02:20 the seasons.

02:21 If you visit it in summer, the tower is taller as the iron structure expands in height by

02:26 about 18 centimetres on a 38 degree day.

02:30 On the other hand, in winter, the cold weather causes the tower to shrink by a similar amount.

02:38 But can you imagine Paris without the tower?

02:41 I certainly can't.

02:44 Au revoir.

02:45 [Music]