My visit to the Eiffel tower was all that I thought it would be and more. Exciting, astute and almost mystical were the best adjectives I could use to describe this popular monument. Here’s a travelogue of my visit to the most popular monument in Paris.

“It is cold,” shuddered my mother as we got off the SOTC tour bus. It was right in the middle of July, and we had assumed the weather to be summery and pleasant. And since we were more accustomed to the tropical climate of India, we found the place relatively cold, with the cold breeze passing by and the sun steering away from us. But while my fellow passengers were whining on the background, I was too stunned by the colossal beauty of the Eiffel Tower to respond to the weather.

A little bit of tower trivia

Built in 1889, under the guidance of Gustave Eiffel from who the tower gets its name as well, this long tower is made of iron and about 324 meters tall. It was built as the entrance arch for a World’s Fair, thus marking the centennial celebration of the French Revolution. The shape of the tower was determined by methods accounting for the effects of wind, and graphical methods, without an overall mathematical framework. Despite these calculations, the tower is said to sway about 2-3 inches because of strong winds. It looks like quite a complicated four-legged structure with tiny criss-crosses adorning it.

My first date with the Eiffel

Dressed in their best couture, you get to see Parisians around the Tower, sun-bathing in the gardens, digging into ice creams and having a great day altogether. As we got there in the morning around 9 am, we found huge groups of tourists waiting to scale the tower. After what seemed an eternity, we finally got into the lift to get on to the first level of the tower. We got a micro-view on Paris that side. There are also a few souvenir shops, but on the expensive side.

Parisian air is fairly romantic as you can see are couples snuggling up against each other and enjoying the view. Not the best place to visit alone, unless you’re a fan of architecture and can block out the swooning couples. I went with my family, which made it a wee bit weird but we somehow managed to neglect the over-bearing romantic aura of the place, which was kind of a pity. The first floor also has a restaurant called Altitude 95, where you can indulge in a steaming cup of coffee and some croissants.

We continued to climb the tower’s levels, with each level providing us a broader view of Paris. I would not recommend scaling the tower for people with vertigo; the height is quite scary for one to take in. But even if you get the eye-level view of the Tower is good enough as it is nothing short of breath-taking.

Our visit to the Eiffel Tower was nothing, but a true treat for the eyes. We were told that we will be going to view the tower at night, where it is even more magnificent.

A romantic rendezvous at night

After a grand dinner and witnessing a cabaret, we went around 11 pm to watch the magnificent Eiffel Tower. Be ready to be bedazzled with the exhilarating view as it illuminates every half hour or so, leaving you awestruck with its beauty and splendour. For those looking for romance, this tower has an ambience that has love spelled all over, especially in the night.

The golden night lighting has adorned the Tower since 1985. It is composed of 335 spotlights placed so as to highlight the structure of the monument. The beacon and the glittering lights arrived in celebration of the new millennium. Around me as the Eiffel lit up in the darkness, I could see couples all around celebrating their love, it was almost magical.

A visit to the Eiffel tower truly is a must, at least once in a lifetime. It gives you an insight into the modern architecture and at the same time, augments the romantic in you.