How did the Eiffel Tower survive the war?

Originally Answered: Why had Eiffel tower not been hit by the Germans during WW2 ? Because Paris as such was never under attack. The French campaign was decided in the Ardennes, Sedan and Dunkirk, way before the capital came under direct threat.



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Eiffel was one of the first engineers to recognize the importance of wind forces on tall structures. He designed the surface of his Tower to be so minimal that the wind has virtually nothing to grab onto. All pieces of the Tower form an open lattice of light trusses through which the wind can blow.

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The iron used to build the Eiffel Tower went through a refining process called puddling which eliminated the excess carbon when the ore was melted. Following this process, you obtain almost pure iron, which was, according to Gustave Eiffel at that time, the best and most robust of materials.

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Paris was declared an open city German troops entered Paris on 14 June. French forces withdrew from the city the day before and it was declared an 'open city' - meaning it would not be defended - in order to prevent its destruction.

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Eiffel won an open competition to design the Eiffel Tower, which was to be the crowning glory during the Paris World Fair of 1889.
  • It Took 22 Months to Complete.
  • The Eiffel Tower Is Made of Iron.
  • The Eiffel Tower Has Three Floors.
  • The Eiffel Tower Has to be Repainted Every 7 Years.


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The Eiffel Tower was supposed to be torn down after 20 years. The tower was built with the intent of showing off France's industrial prowess during the World's Fair, but the plan was to tear it down after 20 years.

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In 1944, Hitler ordered the military governor of Paris to destroy the tower, he refused. In addition, during the German occupation, the tower was closed to the public and Nazis attempted to attach a large swastika to the top, but it blew away.

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In the beginning, resistance was limited to activities such as severing phone lines, vandalizing posters and slashing tyres on German vehicles. Another form of resistance was underground newspapers like Musée de l'Homme (Museum of Mankind) which circulated clandestinely.

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The following analysis concludes that the French lost in 1940 mainly because of three reasons: intelligence failure, operational and tactical inferiority, and poor strategic leadership.

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According to Gustave Eiffel, the French civil engineer and architect, the original red color made it easier to protect the structure from rust. But since its construction, the tower has been painted ochre, yellow and several shades of brown. Once there was an ombre paint effect that faded as the tower reached the sky.

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The Tower lights and beacon are lit up every evening from dusk until 11.45pm. As soon as it gets dark, the Eiffel Tower's golden lighting switches on automatically within less than 10 minutes, thanks to light-sensitive twilight sensors. Simply check an almanac to find out what time the monument will light up.

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