Gustave Eiffel

Description: (French Civil Engineer Known for His Contribution to Building the ‘Statue of Liberty’ and ‘Eiffel Tower’)

Alexandre Gustave Eiffel fondly called ‘the magician of iron’ was a French master engineer and architect. A graduate from ‘École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures’ in Paris, he joined a company that specialised in construction of railway bridges. It took him a couple of years to master the job and soon he was directing bridge construction and later went on to form his own company ‘Eiffel & Cie’. He was associated in constructing several bridges including the famous Garabit Viaduct for the railway network of France. At that time it was considered the highest bridge in the world. His expertise was not limited to France only. He made a mark of his excellence in other countries including the United States, Spain, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Mexico and Chile among others. He was involved in the construction and designs of many buildings and structures including ‘Cathedral of San Pedro de Tacna’, Peru, the ‘Grand Hotel Traian’ in Iaşi, Romania, Konak Pier in İzmir, Turkey and ‘Catedral de Santa María’ in Chiclayo, Peru. One of his noted works was designing of metallic structure of the ‘Statue of Liberty’ in the United States that fell on him after the sudden death of its original engineer. The most renowned work that brought him international fame and cemented his name in history was the ‘Eiffel Tower’ of Paris. Post retirement from engineering he devoted the rest of his life in meteorology and aerodynamics.

Overview

Birthday December 15, 1832 (Sagittarius)
Alternative names Bonickhausen dit Eiffel, Alexandre Gustave Eiffel
Height 165 cm
City Dijon, France
Died on December 27, 1923
Spouse/Ex- Marguerite Gaudelet
Parents François Alexandre Boenickhausen
Catherine Melanie Moineuse
Children Albert Eiffel, Claire Eiffel, Edouard Eiffel, Laure Eiffel, Valentine Eiffel
Relatives Laure Boenickhausen-Eiffel, Marie Boenickhausen-Eiffel

Did you know

What was the purpose of the Eiffel Tower when it was built? The Eiffel Tower was built as the entrance arch for the 1889 World's Fair held in Paris.
How long did it take to build the Eiffel Tower? The construction of the Eiffel Tower was completed in just over two years, from 1887 to 1889.
What materials were used to construct the Eiffel Tower? The Eiffel Tower was built using wrought iron, a material that was both strong and lightweight.
What was the initial public reaction to the Eiffel Tower? Initially, many Parisians were critical of the Eiffel Tower, considering it an eyesore. However, it eventually became an iconic symbol of Paris.
Is it true that the Eiffel Tower was once used as a military lookout tower? Yes, during World War I, the Eiffel Tower was used as a strategic military observation tower to monitor enemy aircraft.
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