On 31 March 1889, the Eiffel Tower was officially inaugurated in Paris with a ceremony attended by dignitaries and an award presentation to its designer, Gustave Eiffel.
Built for the Exposition Universelle, the 300-metre iron structure became the tallest man-made construction in the world, a record it held for 41 years.
Initially met with criticism, the tower soon became an enduring symbol of France’s engineering prowess and artistic ambition, cementing its place as one of the most recognisable landmarks in the world.
