The Eiffel Tower — Guide
Riveted by hand, ahead of schedule
2.5 million rivets, 300 ironworkers, and just over two years — the Eiffel Tower's construction moved faster than almost anyone expected, hand-riveted piece by piece.
2.5 million rivets, 300 ironworkers, and just over two years — the Eiffel Tower's construction moved faster than almost anyone expected, hand-riveted piece by piece.
Every one of the tower's 18,038 iron pieces was designed and cut individually in Eiffel's workshop, then numbered and shipped to the site to be assembled like a giant, three-dimensional puzzle.
Video via YouTube — PBS NOVA, “Building the Eiffel Tower”
Every element of the build was planned to a level of precision unusual for its era.
Each iron piece was drafted on its own blueprint before being cut, drilled, and shipped to the site pre-numbered for assembly.
Around 1.7 million rivets were pre-installed at the workshop; the rest were hand-driven on site by teams of four riveters working in sync.
Despite the height and the era's minimal safety equipment, Eiffel's strict safety procedures meant the build had no worker deaths — remarkable for 1880s construction.
Construction starts on the Champ de Mars, with foundation work needing special techniques on the Seine-side piers.
By this stage the structure had reached its second level, with ironworkers assembling pieces hundreds of feet in the air.
The tower was finished in a little over two years, in time for the 1889 World's Fair opening.
Beyond regular repainting and maintenance, the tower still stands on its original 1889 ironwork.
Pair a summit visit with the first-floor exhibition on the tower's engineering and construction history.
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