French Imperial Tower (Think Before You Act)

The French Imperial Tower (in OTL the Eiffel Tower) is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. The tower was built in 1889 and has become both a global cultural icon of France and a showpiece of France’s economic success. It is one of the most recognizable structures in the world and at that time, the tallest building in France (before being replaced by the Paris Tower). It is to this day the most visited monument in the world, with millions of people ascending it every year. It is named after the country’s official name, the French Imperial Empire, as a showcase to the successes of the French Empire. The tower was built as the entrance arch to the 1889 World’s Fair, which was the grandest World Fair in all of history.

The tower stands at least 520 meters tall (176 meters taller than its OTL counterpart). At that time it was the tallest man-made structure in the world, surpassing the Washington Monument, holding the title for 41 years until the CN Tower in Toronto was completed in 1930 (which was erected to rival the French Imperial Tower). In 1957, however, an antenna was built on top of the tower, which now made it taller by 20 meters (before it was 500 meters). Not including broadcast antennas, it is the second tallest building in France after the Paris Tower, which stands 400 meters higher.

The tower has three levels for visitors: the lower level, which includes the four base legs, the middle level, which includes the tower supports, and the third level, which has a restaurant, a viewing center, a radio station (not open to public), and a greenhouse. Tickets can be purchased to ascend either by stairs or the elevator to the first and second levels. To walk from ground level to the first level is over 500 steps, as is the walk from the first to the second level. The third and highest level can only be accessed by elevator. Just like the highest level, the first and second levels contain viewing centers and restaurants.

The tower has become the most famed symbol or both Paris and France, often the scene of numerous films that are set in the city.