The Paris Universal Exposition of 1889 celebrated the centenary of the French Revolution, and Gustave Eiffel's thousand-foot tower was its stunning centerpiece: the tallest structure ever made by man until that time. The Tower's story is also that of one of the greatest engineers of the 19th century. Eiffel's train stations and bridges were scattered around the globe--and they included the interior bracing of the Statue of Liberty in the United States. Over the years the Tower has been scorned, exalted, analyzed by philosophers for hidden meaning, used by eccentrics for bizarre stunts. This well-researched, abundantly illustrated book shows why it is still the world's most famous landmark.