Since it opened in May 1889, the Eiffel Tower has become an iconic image of modern times: as much a beacon of technological progress as an enduring symbol of Paris and French culture. But as engineer Gustave Eiffel built the now-famous landmark to be the spectacular centrepiece of the 1889 World's Fair, he stirred up a storm of vitriol from Parisian tastemakers, law-suits and predictions of a certain structural calamity. A compelling account of the tower's creation as well as a superb portrait of Belle Epoque France.
