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♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

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NARRATOR:
The Eiffel Tower--
an engineering icon

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that changed
the face of the modern world.

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The Eiffel Tower is not only
an achievement of its time,

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it's also a symbol
of our contemporary world.

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Skyscrapers,

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tall structures,
wouldn't be there today

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if it wasn't
for the Eiffel Tower.

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♪ ♪

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NARRATOR:
Nothing like it had ever been
built before--

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a totally novel design,

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an unprecedented height,

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built in record time.

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♪ ♪

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What made it possible?

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What were the secrets
of Eiffel and his engineers?

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How did the properties
of a modern material

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allow them to build
such a unique structure,

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one that could rise so fast
and so high?

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BERTRAND LEMOINE:
For Eiffel, the tower is really
the product

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of 30 years of innovation
and experience.

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♪ ♪

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NARRATOR:
Researchers are retracing
Eiffel's career

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building metal structures
around the world

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that pushed the limits
again and again.

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This is the story

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of a one-of-a-kind
engineering adventure.

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"Building the Eiffel Tower,"

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right now, on "NOVA."

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♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

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NARRATOR:
March 31, 1889.

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An important day for engineer
Gustave Eiffel

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and for France,

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as he raises the French flag
1,024 feet above ground

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at the top of the tower
that bears his name,

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the tallest structure
in the world.

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LEMOINE:
And you can imagine he was

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probably full
of a sense of pride:

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pride for himself,

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pride for his team,
who had built this monument,

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and pride for France,

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because it was the highest
monument in the world

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which had been erected
right in the heart of Paris.

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NARRATOR:
Even today, the size and height
of the tower

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is almost shocking
against the Parisian skyline.

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So where did such a strange idea
come from in the first place?

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♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

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Surprisingly,
the concept for the Eiffel Tower

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did not come
from Gustave Eiffel himself.

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♪ ♪

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In 1884, just five years
before the tower's inauguration,

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two of Eiffel's best engineers,

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Émile Nouguier
and Maurice Koechlin,

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have an idea.

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What if they could
build a monument

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for the coming World's Fair
in Paris?

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The engineers draw
the first few sketches

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of a unique metal pylon
that could rise above the city--

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a tower made of iron
1,000 feet tall.

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♪ ♪

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At first,
their boss is unimpressed.

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The tower they designed would be
inaccessible to visitors,

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and he doesn't find it
attractive.

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MICHEL CARMONA (translated):
Eiffel doesn't seem interested
in this idea

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until the Paris municipality
and the French government,

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represented by the minister
of commerce, Édouard Lockroy,

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decide to launch
an unofficial appeal for ideas.

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It's not a competition,
it's a request for projects.

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♪ ♪

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NARRATOR:
A few weeks later, in-house
architect Stephen Sauvestre

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adds decorative arcs
to the original pylon sketch,

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as well as platforms
for public use.

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As the tower becomes
less of a passive landmark,

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but a structure
people can actually use,

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Eiffel gets excited
by the project.

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♪ ♪

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But many obstacles remain.

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Even if their design is chosen,

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they will need to raise
millions of francs

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and figure out
how to actually assemble

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such an enormous iron structure
of unprecedented height.

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♪ ♪

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♪ ♪

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1,000 feet tall.

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Today, there are countless
structures

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that rise higher.

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In China, the famous
Shanghai Tower

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is more than twice as tall,
at 2,073 feet.

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And in Dubai,

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the Burj Khalifa is almost three
times as tall,

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at 2,717 feet.

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But at the time,

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a thousand-foot tower
made of iron

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seemed like utter fantasy.

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Eiffel's tower is expected to be
more than four times higher

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than the towers of Notre-Dame,

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more than double the height
of the Great Pyramid of Giza,

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and almost twice as high
as the Washington Monument,

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at the time the tallest
human-built structure

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in the world, at 555 feet.

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♪ ♪

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Since the early 19th century,

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several architects
had been attempting

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to break height records--

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whether in France, in England,

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or in the United States.

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These lofty plans expressed

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the optimism and aspirations
of the century,

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a time of
relentless industrialization.

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But there was a reason why none
of them had ever been built.

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LEMOINE:
Building high,

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higher than
the pyramids of Egypt,

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higher than the cathedrals
in Europe,

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was really a goal
which could be only achieved

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by using the modern technology

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provided by the
Industrial Revolution.

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So the idea was in the air.

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The idea was around.

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But to have an idea
is a good thing,

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but to achieve it
is even better.

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♪ ♪

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NARRATOR:
One of the first engineering
decisions in any building

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is what materials to use.

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Eiffel knows
that in order to go high,

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the materials must be light.

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Limestone,
used in many Parisian buildings,

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is far too heavy
for such a tall structure.

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The only viable option is iron.

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But in what form?

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At the time,
Eiffel had three choices.

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The first: cast iron,

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a material with relatively
good compressive strength,

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meaning it resists heavy loads.

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But because it contains
a lot of carbon,

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it has poor tensile strength.

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Used as a girder,

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it is susceptible to bending
or cracking under tension.

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♪ ♪

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Steel, by contrast,
has less carbon,

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giving it excellent
tensile strength

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00:08:04,266 --> 00:08:06,366
and compressive strength.

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But it is costly and not yet
widely available in the 1880s.

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Luckily, there's a third option,

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referred to as wrought iron.

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It is produced in a furnace

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that almost completely
filters out carbon impurities.

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♪ ♪

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It isn't as strong as steel,

155
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but it is a highly reliable
material,

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also with high compressive
and tensile strength.

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It is both tough and flexible,

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and has the advantage
of being affordable

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and readily available.

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♪ ♪

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For Eiffel and his engineers,
there is no hesitation:

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00:08:52,366 --> 00:08:55,566
wrought iron is the material
of choice.

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Eiffel had good confidence
in this material.

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When you build 300-meters-high
tower, the highest in the world,

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00:09:05,366 --> 00:09:07,600
well, you want to use

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a material with which you have
a very strong habit of building,

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which is reliable.

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♪ ♪

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NARRATOR:
Eiffel's confidence comes
from his long experience

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working with wrought iron,

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including one of his most
successful projects,

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the Garabit Viaduct.

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This is where one of Eiffel's
biggest achievements

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still stands today.

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(train horn blows)

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Perched 400 feet
above the Truyère River,

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the viaduct was built in 1884,
at the exact time

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when the project
for the Eiffel Tower

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was first conceived.

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At the time, taking on
a challenge of this magnitude

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was unprecedented.

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00:10:01,100 --> 00:10:03,466
(Patricia Vergne Rochès
speaking French)

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(translated):
You need to imagine
that when this place was built

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00:10:05,966 --> 00:10:09,533
at the end of the 19th century,
there was absolutely nothing.

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The first step was to build
a small village

186
00:10:12,333 --> 00:10:14,033
where the workers could be
housed

187
00:10:14,033 --> 00:10:16,100
during the construction.

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00:10:16,100 --> 00:10:18,200
Construction lasted four years.

189
00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,633
The first phase was devoted
to the masonry

190
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and the second
to the metal structure.

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♪ ♪

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NARRATOR:
The engineering problem was

193
00:10:31,066 --> 00:10:34,533
how to build a bridge
almost 2,000 feet long

194
00:10:34,533 --> 00:10:37,966
400 feet above the river.

195
00:10:41,300 --> 00:10:43,200
LEMOINE:
To build this bridge,

196
00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:47,233
Eiffel performs
an act of pure audacity.
(computer chirps)

197
00:10:47,233 --> 00:10:51,000
He uses an innovative technique
known as cantilevering,

198
00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,500
which requires building
the arch and the deck

199
00:10:54,500 --> 00:10:58,900
from both sides
at the same time.

200
00:10:58,900 --> 00:11:02,066
The central part
of the bridge is built

201
00:11:02,066 --> 00:11:05,000
using the pylons
as support points.

202
00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:10,133
Then cables hold
the two halves of the arch

203
00:11:10,133 --> 00:11:14,800
until their junction
at the central part,

204
00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:17,800
120 meters above the river.

205
00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:20,466
This requires extreme precision

206
00:11:20,466 --> 00:11:24,533
both in fabrication
and assembly of the elements.

207
00:11:24,533 --> 00:11:27,100
Eiffel declared
that they achieved that

208
00:11:27,100 --> 00:11:29,500
with mathematical precision.

209
00:11:29,500 --> 00:11:34,100
♪ ♪

210
00:11:34,100 --> 00:11:36,500
NARRATOR:
The construction
of the Garabit Viaduct

211
00:11:36,500 --> 00:11:39,833
required precise planning
and fabrication.

212
00:11:39,833 --> 00:11:42,066
But most importantly,

213
00:11:42,066 --> 00:11:46,600
its success was made possible
by wrought iron,

214
00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:49,500
a material which allowed
construction of a light

215
00:11:49,500 --> 00:11:52,933
yet very strong structure,
able to support heavy loads

216
00:11:52,933 --> 00:11:56,300
while resisting strong winds.

217
00:11:56,300 --> 00:12:01,333
This experience would prove
extremely valuable.

218
00:12:05,233 --> 00:12:08,100
♪ ♪

219
00:12:08,100 --> 00:12:11,166
With the material chosen,
the next question was,

220
00:12:11,166 --> 00:12:14,366
how would such a structure
behave aerodynamically?

221
00:12:16,066 --> 00:12:20,833
As a tapered, vertical structure
1,000 feet tall,

222
00:12:20,833 --> 00:12:23,200
the design had to withstand
variable wind speeds

223
00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:27,700
that would change at each level
along its height.

224
00:12:27,700 --> 00:12:30,366
Those winds were not
well understood,

225
00:12:30,366 --> 00:12:32,933
and when calculating
the tower's aerodynamics,

226
00:12:32,933 --> 00:12:36,500
Eiffel and his engineers
only had theory to guide them.

227
00:12:36,500 --> 00:12:41,033
♪ ♪

228
00:12:41,033 --> 00:12:46,700
But this wind tunnel,
which Eiffel built in Paris

229
00:12:46,700 --> 00:12:48,566
23 years after
the tower's completion,

230
00:12:48,566 --> 00:12:50,633
today offers
a unique opportunity

231
00:12:50,633 --> 00:12:52,633
to understand the wind forces

232
00:12:52,633 --> 00:12:55,233
he and his engineers had tried
to calculate.

233
00:12:57,033 --> 00:12:59,433
BENOÎT ROMAN (translated):
At the time of the Eiffel Tower
project,

234
00:12:59,433 --> 00:13:02,333
the highest structure
was the Washington Monument,

235
00:13:02,333 --> 00:13:04,033
which is half the size
of the Eiffel Tower

236
00:13:04,033 --> 00:13:05,533
and built in masonry.

237
00:13:05,533 --> 00:13:08,200
That construction
took several decades,

238
00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:10,333
as the ground underneath
kept sinking.

239
00:13:10,333 --> 00:13:13,833
Eiffel's idea was to use
a completely different material,

240
00:13:13,833 --> 00:13:15,300
to switch to metals,

241
00:13:15,300 --> 00:13:18,100
which solved the weight issue.

242
00:13:18,100 --> 00:13:20,900
But then they faced
a new problem: wind.

243
00:13:22,533 --> 00:13:26,266
NARRATOR:
Here, physicist Benoît Roman
compares the effects

244
00:13:26,266 --> 00:13:29,666
of wind on two models:

245
00:13:29,666 --> 00:13:31,733
a straight tower on one side

246
00:13:31,733 --> 00:13:34,366
and the Eiffel Tower
on the other.

247
00:13:34,366 --> 00:13:38,933
ROMAN (translated):
So here we have a wind speed
of ten miles per hour.

248
00:13:38,933 --> 00:13:42,000
We see very clearly
that the straight tower

249
00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:44,166
is bending much more
than the Eiffel Tower,

250
00:13:44,166 --> 00:13:45,966
which shows its higher rigidity

251
00:13:45,966 --> 00:13:47,566
and wind resistance,

252
00:13:47,566 --> 00:13:49,000
even though
they're the same height

253
00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,833
and have the same quantity
of materials.

254
00:13:52,833 --> 00:13:55,633
♪ ♪

255
00:13:55,633 --> 00:13:58,100
NARRATOR:
So, why does the Eiffel Tower
resist wind

256
00:13:58,100 --> 00:14:00,833
so much more effectively?

257
00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:05,566
Iron is a flexible material,

258
00:14:05,566 --> 00:14:07,466
so the great height
of the structure

259
00:14:07,466 --> 00:14:10,500
makes it vulnerable
to large wind forces.

260
00:14:12,466 --> 00:14:14,700
But with this unusual shape,

261
00:14:14,700 --> 00:14:17,566
the force of the wind
and of the tower's own weight

262
00:14:17,566 --> 00:14:20,633
naturally directs
the resulting force downward,

263
00:14:20,633 --> 00:14:23,233
following the curves
of the tower.

264
00:14:26,233 --> 00:14:28,566
(translated):
This is the best shape
imaginable for wind resistance.

265
00:14:28,566 --> 00:14:31,166
It has the elegance
of a mathematical solution.

266
00:14:31,166 --> 00:14:32,733
It's truly optimal.

267
00:14:35,166 --> 00:14:38,500
NARRATOR:
And history has proven
that this entirely novel design

268
00:14:38,500 --> 00:14:41,700
was the right one
to stand the test of time.

269
00:14:41,700 --> 00:14:44,666
(thunder crashing)

270
00:14:44,666 --> 00:14:46,966
During the great storm of 1999,

271
00:14:46,966 --> 00:14:50,500
a record-breaking wind speed
of 134 miles per hour

272
00:14:50,500 --> 00:14:53,700
was recorded at the top,

273
00:14:53,700 --> 00:14:57,000
and the tower stood strong.

274
00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:03,700
♪ ♪

275
00:15:03,700 --> 00:15:05,700
 
NARRATOR:
Eiffel has just received
good news.

276
00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:07,866
After months of negotiations,

277
00:15:07,866 --> 00:15:11,233
his iron tower has won
the official competition

278
00:15:11,233 --> 00:15:14,633
for the World's Fair
gateway monument

279
00:15:14,633 --> 00:15:16,066
and construction has finally

280
00:15:16,066 --> 00:15:18,466
been given the go-ahead.

281
00:15:18,466 --> 00:15:20,166
The site will be on the bank

282
00:15:20,166 --> 00:15:21,666
of the Seine River,

283
00:15:21,666 --> 00:15:23,166
where it will be allowed

284
00:15:23,166 --> 00:15:26,000
to stand for 20 years.

285
00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:27,666
LEMOINE:
So the World's Fair had a very

286
00:15:27,666 --> 00:15:30,900
important signification
in the time, politically,

287
00:15:30,900 --> 00:15:34,033
of course,
to show one country's strengths,

288
00:15:34,033 --> 00:15:35,900
but also to show

289
00:15:35,900 --> 00:15:38,200
what the industry could deliver,

290
00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:41,566
and how everyday life could be
changed by these new products.

291
00:15:44,066 --> 00:15:45,633
NARRATOR:
For Eiffel's company,

292
00:15:45,633 --> 00:15:48,700
it's the beginning
of a race against time,

293
00:15:48,700 --> 00:15:51,400
a race that will test
all the talent and skill

294
00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:53,733
of the country's best
engineers...

295
00:15:55,133 --> 00:16:00,366
...to produce sketches for each
of the tower's 18,038 pieces...

296
00:16:02,166 --> 00:16:06,400
...and a plan to assemble
more than 8,000 tons of iron,

297
00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:10,033
through summer and winter,
rain and snow.

298
00:16:13,433 --> 00:16:19,266
♪ ♪

299
00:16:19,266 --> 00:16:21,200
After months of preparation,

300
00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:25,466
the tower's construction
can finally begin.

301
00:16:25,466 --> 00:16:27,466
But being so close to the river

302
00:16:27,466 --> 00:16:30,500
means the soil is soaked
with water.

303
00:16:30,500 --> 00:16:36,300
How to build the foundation
for the world's tallest building

304
00:16:36,300 --> 00:16:39,100
on such potentially
unstable terrain?

305
00:16:40,900 --> 00:16:42,333
Once again,

306
00:16:42,333 --> 00:16:45,133
Eiffel looks to his own
experience for the solution.

307
00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:53,300
♪ ♪

308
00:16:53,300 --> 00:16:57,866
This bridge was inaugurated
in 1860.

309
00:16:57,866 --> 00:16:59,466
It's the first major
iron structure

310
00:16:59,466 --> 00:17:03,566
Gustave Eiffel worked on
as a construction manager.

311
00:17:07,733 --> 00:17:10,900
The idea was
to build a railway bridge

312
00:17:10,900 --> 00:17:15,733
across the wide and turbulent
Garonne River.

313
00:17:15,733 --> 00:17:18,066
MYRIAM LARNAUDIE-EIFFEL
(translated):
For the young Gustave Eiffel,

314
00:17:18,066 --> 00:17:21,300
this bridge is
the chance of a lifetime.

315
00:17:21,300 --> 00:17:23,400
He knows he's competing
with another engineer,

316
00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:26,500
who's building
a similar bridge in Strasbourg,

317
00:17:26,500 --> 00:17:28,300
and he really needs to do
better,

318
00:17:28,300 --> 00:17:30,033
faster, and cheaper.

319
00:17:30,033 --> 00:17:32,666
So he decides
to standardize his parts.

320
00:17:32,666 --> 00:17:34,400
 
The construction
gets more efficient,

321
00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:38,033
less costly,
and he ends up winning the race,

322
00:17:38,033 --> 00:17:41,766
building
a decidedly modern bridge.

323
00:17:41,766 --> 00:17:46,466
♪ ♪

324
00:17:46,466 --> 00:17:49,166
NARRATOR:
The biggest obstacle
was building the piers,

325
00:17:49,166 --> 00:17:51,933
or support structures,
anchored in the river.

326
00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:56,000
The question was:

327
00:17:56,000 --> 00:18:00,000
how do you build a foundation
80 feet underwater?

328
00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:01,633
(computer chirps)

329
00:18:01,633 --> 00:18:04,233
LEMOINE:
Eiffel implements
a new technique

330
00:18:04,233 --> 00:18:07,900
discovered through his first
employer, Charles Nepveu.

331
00:18:07,900 --> 00:18:13,000
It involves large cast-iron
tubes, 3.6 meters in diameter.

332
00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:18,033
The lower part rests
on the bottom level

333
00:18:18,033 --> 00:18:21,133
and the upper part
is above the water level.

334
00:18:21,133 --> 00:18:24,433
It is divided
into three chambers.

335
00:18:24,433 --> 00:18:27,233
The lower chamber is
pressurized,

336
00:18:27,233 --> 00:18:30,633
constantly fed
by compressed air,

337
00:18:30,633 --> 00:18:33,900
and it allows workers
to work on a dry bed.

338
00:18:33,900 --> 00:18:37,533
The middle section
is a decompression sas,

339
00:18:37,533 --> 00:18:39,500
and the upper section
is open-air

340
00:18:39,500 --> 00:18:42,766
to allow evacuation
of the rubble.

341
00:18:44,166 --> 00:18:46,233
This innovative technique,

342
00:18:46,233 --> 00:18:49,600
which ensured fast completion
of the foundations,

343
00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:51,966
is a key factor
in the construction

344
00:18:51,966 --> 00:18:53,466
of the Eiffel Tower.

345
00:18:53,466 --> 00:18:56,366
♪ ♪

346
00:18:56,366 --> 00:18:58,466
NARRATOR:
In the middle
of the Paris winter,

347
00:18:58,466 --> 00:19:01,566
the work begins.

348
00:19:01,566 --> 00:19:06,933
Soon, around 500 workers
gather to dig the foundation

349
00:19:06,933 --> 00:19:08,766
of the tower's north and west
pillars,

350
00:19:08,766 --> 00:19:10,833
the nearest to the Seine.

351
00:19:12,033 --> 00:19:14,600
Piece by piece,
just like in Bordeaux,

352
00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:18,366
large watertight metal boxes
are assembled

353
00:19:18,366 --> 00:19:22,500
which will form the pressurized
chambers, or caissons,

354
00:19:22,500 --> 00:19:24,300
to allow construction
of the foundation

355
00:19:24,300 --> 00:19:26,300
to be protected from flooding.

356
00:19:26,300 --> 00:19:29,233
♪ ♪

357
00:19:29,233 --> 00:19:34,333
Then the project encounters
a serious problem.

358
00:19:34,333 --> 00:19:37,166
FLORENCE ALLORENT (translated):
When the pressurized air
chambers come into use,

359
00:19:37,166 --> 00:19:39,166
workers develop
an unknown illness.

360
00:19:39,166 --> 00:19:42,633
They report tingling sensations,
bleeding,

361
00:19:42,633 --> 00:19:43,766
difficulty breathing,

362
00:19:43,766 --> 00:19:45,166
and partial paralysis.

363
00:19:45,166 --> 00:19:48,100
No one understands the cause
of this ailment,

364
00:19:48,100 --> 00:19:51,266
nor the importance
of making decompression stops

365
00:19:51,266 --> 00:19:54,400
when coming back to the surface.

366
00:19:57,433 --> 00:20:00,300
NARRATOR:
Today, the illness
is known as the bends,

367
00:20:00,300 --> 00:20:04,366
or caisson disease.

368
00:20:04,366 --> 00:20:07,433
Inside the caisson,
much like underwater divers,

369
00:20:07,433 --> 00:20:10,633
workers breathe air
at a high pressure.

370
00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,633
But if they return
to the surface too quickly,

371
00:20:16,633 --> 00:20:18,966
and the pressure drops rapidly
as a result,

372
00:20:18,966 --> 00:20:21,633
nitrogen bubbles can form
in their blood,

373
00:20:21,633 --> 00:20:24,300
causing decompression sickness.

374
00:20:28,700 --> 00:20:30,966
Nobody understands
what is happening.

375
00:20:32,700 --> 00:20:35,900
Even the government is concerned
about the potential danger.

376
00:20:38,500 --> 00:20:40,066
(translated):
In April 1887,

377
00:20:40,066 --> 00:20:41,633
the minister of commerce
and industry decides

378
00:20:41,633 --> 00:20:44,133
to go down himself
into the foundations,

379
00:20:44,133 --> 00:20:48,033
and he comes back up alive.

380
00:20:48,033 --> 00:20:49,966
LEMOINE:
It was a demonstration
that the caisson

381
00:20:49,966 --> 00:20:51,733
was not so harmful,

382
00:20:51,733 --> 00:20:53,466
and it was not a problem
which could delay

383
00:20:53,466 --> 00:20:54,500
the construction of the tower.

384
00:20:54,500 --> 00:20:59,533
♪ ♪

385
00:21:02,066 --> 00:21:03,800
NARRATOR:
Despite the discomfort,

386
00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,000
work resumes until the piers
are in place.

387
00:21:10,733 --> 00:21:13,233
Soon, solid masonry rises
from the foundations

388
00:21:13,233 --> 00:21:16,033
to support the metal structures
at the bottom of the tower.

389
00:21:17,866 --> 00:21:21,400
Now they can begin
the ironwork.

390
00:21:24,933 --> 00:21:26,733
One by one,

391
00:21:26,733 --> 00:21:31,700
the fabricators melt, cut, trim,
and drill the future tower's

392
00:21:31,700 --> 00:21:37,633
18,038 pieces
to exact specifications.

393
00:21:37,633 --> 00:21:39,866
For the assembly method to work,

394
00:21:39,866 --> 00:21:42,066
millimeter precision
is absolutely crucial

395
00:21:42,066 --> 00:21:45,666
from start to finish.

396
00:21:45,666 --> 00:21:47,766
LEMOINE:
The Eiffel Tower
is kind of complex.

397
00:21:47,766 --> 00:21:50,866
But when you look at it closely,
it's only made

398
00:21:50,866 --> 00:21:55,066
with sections in the shape
of T, L, U.

399
00:21:55,066 --> 00:21:57,666
So you can see
that the very simple parts

400
00:21:57,666 --> 00:21:59,833
used in the Eiffel Tower,
combined

401
00:21:59,833 --> 00:22:01,866
in the complex structure,

402
00:22:01,866 --> 00:22:04,633
can achieve the highest monument
in the world.

403
00:22:04,633 --> 00:22:07,633
♪ ♪

404
00:22:07,633 --> 00:22:11,566
NARRATOR:
Horse-drawn carts deliver
the prefabricated components

405
00:22:11,566 --> 00:22:14,500
to the construction site
on the Champ de Mars.

406
00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:18,800
Six months after the start
of construction,

407
00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:21,500
four 54-degree inclined pillars,

408
00:22:21,500 --> 00:22:25,100
each composed
of four large assembled tubes,

409
00:22:25,100 --> 00:22:29,933
called trusses,
rise from the ground.

410
00:22:29,933 --> 00:22:35,600
So far, all the pieces
fit together as designed.

411
00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:40,466
But how do the engineers ensure
that nothing moves out of place?

412
00:22:40,466 --> 00:22:43,300
Once more, Eiffel calls
on lessons learned

413
00:22:43,300 --> 00:22:46,066
building
another famous structure.

414
00:22:48,533 --> 00:22:52,066
♪ ♪

415
00:22:52,066 --> 00:22:54,233
In these Parisian workshops,

416
00:22:54,233 --> 00:22:58,433
France built another monument
which remains just as iconic:

417
00:22:58,433 --> 00:23:03,100
the Statue of Liberty.

418
00:23:03,100 --> 00:23:05,733
And under its skin
lies one of the secrets

419
00:23:05,733 --> 00:23:09,633
to the Eiffel Tower's
structural strength.

420
00:23:09,633 --> 00:23:13,766
♪ ♪

421
00:23:13,766 --> 00:23:16,966
In 1870, renowned French
sculptor Auguste Bartholdi

422
00:23:16,966 --> 00:23:21,133
imagines a 300-foot-high statue
in the form of a woman,

423
00:23:21,133 --> 00:23:22,633
celebrating the signing

424
00:23:22,633 --> 00:23:25,333
of the U.S. Declaration
of Independence.

425
00:23:27,733 --> 00:23:30,233
DARCY GRIMALDO GRIGSBY:
Certainly, monumentality
has a long history

426
00:23:30,233 --> 00:23:32,300
prior to the 19th century.

427
00:23:32,300 --> 00:23:36,533
But the notion
of creating the colossal

428
00:23:36,533 --> 00:23:40,033
is so profoundly
a modern ambition.

429
00:23:40,033 --> 00:23:45,033
 
And Bartholdi began his thoughts
about the Statue of Liberty

430
00:23:45,033 --> 00:23:48,600
in Egypt-- he was making
terra-cotta little models.

431
00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:50,900
But when it's about realizing,

432
00:23:50,900 --> 00:23:55,233
he has to turn sculpture
into a modern phenomenon.

433
00:23:55,233 --> 00:23:57,000
Um, the reason
it can be that gigantic

434
00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:58,866
is that it's hollow.

435
00:23:58,866 --> 00:24:02,666
♪ ♪

436
00:24:02,666 --> 00:24:05,366
NARRATOR:
Tall and in the shape
of a person,

437
00:24:05,366 --> 00:24:07,366
yet hollow.

438
00:24:07,366 --> 00:24:11,633
How does this structure
hold together?

439
00:24:14,766 --> 00:24:16,733
It's 6:00 a.m. in New York City.

440
00:24:16,733 --> 00:24:18,466
Before thousands of visitors
arrive,

441
00:24:18,466 --> 00:24:23,466
ranger Matt Housch leads the way
on an exclusive tour

442
00:24:23,466 --> 00:24:25,566
into the heart of the statue.

443
00:24:28,066 --> 00:24:30,500
The similarities with
the Eiffel Tower

444
00:24:30,500 --> 00:24:32,733
are easy to spot.

445
00:24:32,733 --> 00:24:36,133
♪ ♪

446
00:24:36,133 --> 00:24:38,900
HOUSCH:
What's most impressive
about the interior

447
00:24:38,900 --> 00:24:42,766
of the Statue of Liberty is how
all of this iron and steel

448
00:24:42,766 --> 00:24:48,333
works together to hold her over
300 feet above New York Harbor.

449
00:24:48,333 --> 00:24:52,533
Over 100 years of wind and rain,

450
00:24:52,533 --> 00:24:57,433
and she still stands because
of this interior structure.

451
00:24:57,433 --> 00:25:00,200
NARRATOR:
After the teams riveted together

452
00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,066
the internal structure's
iron beams,

453
00:25:03,066 --> 00:25:05,900
they next installed
a secondary structure,

454
00:25:05,900 --> 00:25:09,466
made out of hundreds
of iron bars.

455
00:25:09,466 --> 00:25:12,533
On top of these bars,
they attached the copper skin,

456
00:25:12,533 --> 00:25:15,333
piece by piece.

457
00:25:17,133 --> 00:25:18,833
And the secret to these layers
holding together

458
00:25:18,833 --> 00:25:24,566
is in one simple but incredibly
effective solution: rivets.

459
00:25:26,433 --> 00:25:29,266
The inside
of the Statue of Liberty

460
00:25:29,266 --> 00:25:31,666
can be a disorienting place.

461
00:25:31,666 --> 00:25:35,300
But what you are seeing
are hundreds of copper plates.

462
00:25:35,300 --> 00:25:38,200
 
So that's the dark metal
that you see

463
00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,000
all along the interior here--
that's her skin.

464
00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:45,266
And those copper plates were all
riveted together with thousands

465
00:25:45,266 --> 00:25:47,333
of little copper rivets,

466
00:25:47,333 --> 00:25:50,466
but the copper skin
has to be held up,

467
00:25:50,466 --> 00:25:53,900
so we can see there's thousands
of steel bars

468
00:25:53,900 --> 00:25:57,333
connect the copper plates
to the secondary iron bars,

469
00:25:57,333 --> 00:25:59,933
and all of those iron bars
connect back here

470
00:25:59,933 --> 00:26:01,133
to this iron pylon.

471
00:26:01,133 --> 00:26:04,000
♪ ♪

472
00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:05,900
NARRATOR:
Building high, building light,

473
00:26:05,900 --> 00:26:09,200
and building strong:

474
00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,466
mastering the art of riveting
for the Statue of Liberty

475
00:26:12,466 --> 00:26:14,966
would prove crucial
for years to come.

476
00:26:14,966 --> 00:26:16,133
♪ ♪

477
00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:22,400
Today, rivets are not common.

478
00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:24,966
High-strength bolts
are more often used

479
00:26:24,966 --> 00:26:28,366
to attach
large steel components.

480
00:26:28,366 --> 00:26:30,900
But in Gonesse, north of Paris,

481
00:26:30,900 --> 00:26:33,066
a few highly skilled workers
still practice

482
00:26:33,066 --> 00:26:35,666
the efficient assembly technique
of riveting.

483
00:26:35,666 --> 00:26:37,500
(speaking French):

484
00:26:38,466 --> 00:26:39,833
Okay.

485
00:26:39,833 --> 00:26:41,400
NARRATOR:
In this workshop,

486
00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:43,233
Eiffel-style beams
are sometimes produced

487
00:26:43,233 --> 00:26:45,700
to restore old structures.

488
00:26:45,700 --> 00:26:48,466
♪ ♪

489
00:26:48,466 --> 00:26:49,933
These rivets are pins,

490
00:26:49,933 --> 00:26:53,700
but unlike bolts,
they don't have threads or nuts.

491
00:26:53,700 --> 00:26:55,500
Instead they are heated,
softened,

492
00:26:55,500 --> 00:26:57,733
and custom-fit into place.

493
00:26:57,733 --> 00:27:00,466
(tool whirring)

494
00:27:00,466 --> 00:27:02,366
The first step is
for a worker

495
00:27:02,366 --> 00:27:04,766
to heat the rivet
in a small furnace

496
00:27:04,766 --> 00:27:06,733
and then place it
in the assembly hole.

497
00:27:06,733 --> 00:27:09,633
A worker holds
the rivet's head in place,

498
00:27:09,633 --> 00:27:11,433
while another uses a hammer

499
00:27:11,433 --> 00:27:12,866
to crush the emerging end.

500
00:27:12,866 --> 00:27:16,933
As it cools, the rivet retracts

501
00:27:16,933 --> 00:27:18,733
between the two pieces of steel.

502
00:27:18,733 --> 00:27:22,766
♪ ♪

503
00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:28,333
The technique might
look straightforward,

504
00:27:28,333 --> 00:27:30,000
but during the construction
of the tower,

505
00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:34,133
teams of four riveters
worked up to 12 hours per day

506
00:27:34,133 --> 00:27:37,600
in highly dangerous conditions.

507
00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:42,800
On average, workers installed
fewer than 1,700 rivets each day

508
00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:46,266
out of a total
of two-and-a-half million.

509
00:27:49,033 --> 00:27:52,066
It was really a long,
a bit tedious process,

510
00:27:52,066 --> 00:27:54,666
but very strong,
which could last, of course,

511
00:27:54,666 --> 00:27:56,100
for a long time.

512
00:27:56,100 --> 00:27:58,100
And if the tower
is still there today,

513
00:27:58,100 --> 00:27:59,533
it's also because

514
00:27:59,533 --> 00:28:03,433
its way of assembling its parts
was very efficient.

515
00:28:03,433 --> 00:28:08,000
♪ ♪

516
00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:10,800
NARRATOR:
Hundreds of workers
are now giving their all

517
00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:14,033
to meet the deadline.

518
00:28:14,033 --> 00:28:16,433
And the construction progress
is impressive,

519
00:28:16,433 --> 00:28:17,966
with the metallic structure

520
00:28:17,966 --> 00:28:21,466
rising fast to
the incessant beat of hammers.

521
00:28:21,466 --> 00:28:26,766
(hammers clanging)

522
00:28:26,766 --> 00:28:28,400
As the tower grows,

523
00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:30,800
lifting thousands
of tons of iron

524
00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:32,400
to greater and greater heights

525
00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:35,366
becomes increasingly difficult.

526
00:28:35,366 --> 00:28:39,400
But Eiffel has
an innovative solution:

527
00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,466
placing mobile
steam-powered cranes

528
00:28:41,466 --> 00:28:43,400
attached to each
of the tower's legs.

529
00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:45,933
(computer chirps)

530
00:28:45,933 --> 00:28:48,433
LEMOINE:
These 15-ton cranes,

531
00:28:48,433 --> 00:28:52,300
installed on sloping
and then vertical rails

532
00:28:52,300 --> 00:28:55,933
that will later be
reused by the elevators,

533
00:28:55,933 --> 00:28:58,600
drive the progress
of the building site.

534
00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:01,900
Eiffel's cranes are steerable,

535
00:29:01,900 --> 00:29:04,033
have a range up to 12 meters

536
00:29:04,033 --> 00:29:06,866
and a lifting capacity
of three tons.

537
00:29:06,866 --> 00:29:09,500
They will contribute
to the success

538
00:29:09,500 --> 00:29:11,533
of this colossal project.

539
00:29:11,533 --> 00:29:14,066
♪ ♪

540
00:29:14,066 --> 00:29:15,666
NARRATOR:
The legs of the tower are now

541
00:29:15,666 --> 00:29:18,666
rising above
the Parisian skyline.

542
00:29:18,666 --> 00:29:22,300
So far, no major disasters.

543
00:29:22,300 --> 00:29:25,033
None of the workers have died,

544
00:29:25,033 --> 00:29:27,533
the foundations are not sinking,

545
00:29:27,533 --> 00:29:31,333
and the structure stands strong.

546
00:29:31,333 --> 00:29:33,133
♪ ♪

547
00:29:33,133 --> 00:29:35,833
But it's still early days.

548
00:29:35,833 --> 00:29:39,266
The real test will come
during the next stage:

549
00:29:39,266 --> 00:29:41,133
joining the legs
and constructing

550
00:29:41,133 --> 00:29:43,666
the tower's
second-level platform,

551
00:29:43,666 --> 00:29:46,400
to support the huge tower
that will rise above.

552
00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:48,833
♪ ♪

553
00:29:48,833 --> 00:29:52,400
Turning hand-drawn designs
into forged pieces

554
00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:54,933
and then finally
bringing them together

555
00:29:54,933 --> 00:29:57,300
to connect perfectly.

556
00:29:57,300 --> 00:29:58,833
It's a pivotal moment
for the engineers.

557
00:29:58,833 --> 00:30:02,333
♪ ♪

558
00:30:02,333 --> 00:30:04,933
But how to ensure
the tower and the platform

559
00:30:04,933 --> 00:30:08,833
will remain level and true?

560
00:30:08,833 --> 00:30:13,733
Once again, Eiffel and his team
prove extremely inventive.

561
00:30:13,733 --> 00:30:16,166
(computer chirps)

562
00:30:16,166 --> 00:30:19,166
Eiffel designed two devices:

563
00:30:19,166 --> 00:30:23,000
sandboxes, an ancient technique
used by the Egyptians,

564
00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:26,266
and hydraulic jacks,

565
00:30:26,266 --> 00:30:29,366
to help level out
the position of the piles.

566
00:30:29,366 --> 00:30:32,966
To push them up slightly

567
00:30:32,966 --> 00:30:34,833
just to adjust
the final position

568
00:30:34,833 --> 00:30:38,200
and the junction
of the four pillars.

569
00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:40,000
In addition,

570
00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:44,800
sandboxes were placed
at the top of the scaffolding,

571
00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:48,100
between the box girders,
and to adjust them,

572
00:30:48,100 --> 00:30:53,266
just simply drill a hole
and let the sand flow out.

573
00:30:53,266 --> 00:30:57,900
By combining sandboxes
and hydraulic jacks,

574
00:30:57,900 --> 00:31:00,800
the exact position
of the holes

575
00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:05,500
drilled in the horizontal
girders and in the box girders

576
00:31:05,500 --> 00:31:08,100
to adjust precisely
the first platform.

577
00:31:08,100 --> 00:31:11,866
And this was really
the crucial event

578
00:31:11,866 --> 00:31:13,766
of the construction
of the tower.

579
00:31:13,766 --> 00:31:19,800
♪ ♪

580
00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:26,366
NARRATOR:
Finally, the main platform's
last rivet is set.

581
00:31:26,366 --> 00:31:30,100
♪ ♪

582
00:31:30,100 --> 00:31:34,200
After years of work,
months of uncertainty,

583
00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:38,333
the construction's most
delicate step is now complete.

584
00:31:38,333 --> 00:31:41,100
The tower finally stands
on its own,

585
00:31:41,100 --> 00:31:43,866
aligned to support
what will now rise above it.

586
00:31:43,866 --> 00:31:48,200
♪ ♪

587
00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:52,400
The most difficult phase
has been completed,

588
00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:54,666
but there is still
just over a year left

589
00:31:54,666 --> 00:31:57,733
to build about 700 feet.

590
00:32:03,533 --> 00:32:08,333
As winter wears on,
Eiffel hits a rough patch.

591
00:32:08,333 --> 00:32:11,266
His construction has
been hindered by the weather

592
00:32:11,266 --> 00:32:13,900
and tarnished by
considerable backlash.

593
00:32:13,900 --> 00:32:17,500
♪ ♪

594
00:32:17,500 --> 00:32:20,233
LEMOINE:
You have a very strong criticism

595
00:32:20,233 --> 00:32:22,333
by eminent artists of the time,

596
00:32:22,333 --> 00:32:26,033
writers like Maupassant,
architects like Charles Garnier,

597
00:32:26,033 --> 00:32:28,133
the architect of
the new opera in Paris.

598
00:32:28,133 --> 00:32:29,766
Intimately,

599
00:32:29,766 --> 00:32:33,700
I'm sure it,
it was a bit, uh, uh,

600
00:32:33,700 --> 00:32:35,833
shock, or maybe a harm for him,

601
00:32:35,833 --> 00:32:38,300
not to be felt understood

602
00:32:38,300 --> 00:32:42,200
as really doing something
exceptional for its time.

603
00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:45,133
♪ ♪

604
00:32:45,133 --> 00:32:49,166
NARRATOR:
Eiffel is determined to turn
public opinion around.

605
00:32:49,166 --> 00:32:50,900
His business may be engineering,

606
00:32:50,900 --> 00:32:54,566
but he also understands the
importance of public relations.

607
00:32:56,466 --> 00:33:01,566
♪ ♪

608
00:33:03,333 --> 00:33:09,100
A few months later,
Eiffel has an unusual idea:

609
00:33:09,100 --> 00:33:12,966
organize a special banquet
at the tower's second level.

610
00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:17,900
He's hoping everyone
will finally understand

611
00:33:17,900 --> 00:33:20,833
that this project isn't
just an engineering challenge,

612
00:33:20,833 --> 00:33:24,366
it's a unique and timeless
work of art.

613
00:33:27,966 --> 00:33:30,533
(metal tapping glass)

614
00:33:30,533 --> 00:33:33,500
Right in the middle
of the construction site,

615
00:33:33,500 --> 00:33:37,666
tables have been set to welcome
a select crew of journalists.

616
00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:41,366
(guests applauding)

617
00:33:41,366 --> 00:33:43,466
And it works.

618
00:33:43,466 --> 00:33:45,333
According to
"The New York Herald,"

619
00:33:45,333 --> 00:33:47,333
the guests are dazzled.

620
00:33:47,333 --> 00:33:50,500
♪ ♪

621
00:33:50,500 --> 00:33:54,766
It appears that
the road to success is clear.

622
00:33:54,766 --> 00:33:58,300
At least for now.

623
00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:05,533
Step by step,
the construction continues.

624
00:34:05,533 --> 00:34:07,166
Following the second floor,

625
00:34:07,166 --> 00:34:09,466
the tower's third floor
comes together,

626
00:34:09,466 --> 00:34:12,833
377 feet above the ground.

627
00:34:15,900 --> 00:34:19,600
These X-shaped structures
may appear decorative,

628
00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:22,800
but they serve
an important function.

629
00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:26,600
Why include this feature?

630
00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:28,933
The answer comes down
to the fundamentals

631
00:34:28,933 --> 00:34:31,466
of structural engineering.

632
00:34:31,466 --> 00:34:33,600
When held by a single diagonal,

633
00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:35,066
a structure is vulnerable

634
00:34:35,066 --> 00:34:37,566
to the horizontal force
of the wind,

635
00:34:37,566 --> 00:34:39,733
depending
on where it comes from.

636
00:34:39,733 --> 00:34:41,333
But with two diagonals,

637
00:34:41,333 --> 00:34:44,933
the structure resists horizontal
force more effectively.

638
00:34:44,933 --> 00:34:47,566
As one cross-brace
is pushed or pulled,

639
00:34:47,566 --> 00:34:49,966
the other resists in
the opposite direction,

640
00:34:49,966 --> 00:34:52,833
maintaining
the structure's stability.

641
00:34:56,233 --> 00:34:58,166
LEMOINE:
In all Eiffel structures,

642
00:34:58,166 --> 00:35:01,933
you can find
these cross-shape sections

643
00:35:01,933 --> 00:35:05,033
to brace the elements,
vertical and horizontal.

644
00:35:05,033 --> 00:35:07,133
Very typical
of Eiffel construction,

645
00:35:07,133 --> 00:35:09,166
but also of the iron
construction of its time.

646
00:35:09,166 --> 00:35:11,166
♪ ♪

647
00:35:11,166 --> 00:35:14,200
NARRATOR:
This principle was long used
in wood construction,

648
00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:18,800
but Eiffel was the first one
who used it extensively

649
00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:20,333
in metal construction.

650
00:35:20,333 --> 00:35:22,400
It became a key to his method,

651
00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:26,000
whether in the tower,
in the Garabit Viaduct,

652
00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:29,066
or the Statue of Liberty.

653
00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:35,633
♪ ♪

654
00:35:35,633 --> 00:35:37,866
NARRATOR:
Since the start
of the construction,

655
00:35:37,866 --> 00:35:40,600
Eiffel knows that time pressure
is high.

656
00:35:42,100 --> 00:35:45,600
So he takes pains
to treat the workers well.

657
00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:49,700
ALLORENT (translated):
Carpenters were the best paid,
earning 80 cents an hour.

658
00:35:49,700 --> 00:35:53,066
Fitters and riveters, 70 cents
an hour.

659
00:35:53,066 --> 00:35:56,300
And laborers, known as
the mousses,

660
00:35:56,300 --> 00:35:58,633
60 cents an hour.

661
00:35:58,633 --> 00:36:02,100
They were paid almost
twice as much as workers

662
00:36:02,100 --> 00:36:05,800
on other Parisian
construction sites at the time.

663
00:36:08,566 --> 00:36:12,100
NARRATOR:
But as the structure
narrows towards the top,

664
00:36:12,100 --> 00:36:13,633
the workers go on strike,

665
00:36:13,633 --> 00:36:17,166
and Eiffel's busy building site
grinds to a halt.

666
00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:22,900
ALLORENT (translated):
They work at ever greater
heights.

667
00:36:22,900 --> 00:36:25,100
In response to their complaints
about this danger,

668
00:36:25,100 --> 00:36:28,566
Eiffel replies that there's
no more danger at 1,000 feet

669
00:36:28,566 --> 00:36:31,533
than at 100 feet.

670
00:36:31,533 --> 00:36:34,400
So he tells his workers
to get back to work,

671
00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:37,166
warning them that if they
don't punch in the next morning,

672
00:36:37,166 --> 00:36:40,433
they'll be fired.

673
00:36:41,900 --> 00:36:45,366
NARRATOR:
When only 27 workers show up
the following morning,

674
00:36:45,366 --> 00:36:47,066
Eiffel quickly does the math.

675
00:36:47,066 --> 00:36:49,900
♪ ♪

676
00:36:49,900 --> 00:36:53,333
If the strike continues,
even just for a few days,

677
00:36:53,333 --> 00:36:57,066
the tower might not be completed
on time for the World's Fair.

678
00:36:57,066 --> 00:37:01,866
♪ ♪

679
00:37:01,866 --> 00:37:03,833
LEMOINE:
If the tower would be, uh,

680
00:37:03,833 --> 00:37:07,066
completed after
the opening of the exhibition,

681
00:37:07,066 --> 00:37:10,066
it would be
a major failure for him,

682
00:37:10,066 --> 00:37:11,533
for himself,
but also for France.

683
00:37:11,533 --> 00:37:13,700
(speaking French)

684
00:37:13,700 --> 00:37:17,033
(translated):
Eiffel gives in.

685
00:37:17,033 --> 00:37:18,366
He offers the workers

686
00:37:18,366 --> 00:37:20,800
a gradual increase
of five cents a month

687
00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:22,100
until December.

688
00:37:22,100 --> 00:37:24,966
And for those
who climb the highest,

689
00:37:24,966 --> 00:37:28,833
he adds a 100-franc bonus
upon completion of the work,

690
00:37:28,833 --> 00:37:32,466
plus warm clothes
to face the winter.

691
00:37:32,466 --> 00:37:35,833
NARRATOR:
By the time construction
begins again,

692
00:37:35,833 --> 00:37:38,966
the deadline for completion
looms.

693
00:37:41,766 --> 00:37:45,800
♪ ♪

694
00:37:45,800 --> 00:37:48,900
Following the end of the strike,
which lasted a week,

695
00:37:48,900 --> 00:37:52,700
the tower reaches 557 feet,

696
00:37:52,700 --> 00:37:55,700
becoming the tallest structure
on Earth.

697
00:37:59,500 --> 00:38:02,833
From now on,
progress will be faster.

698
00:38:05,300 --> 00:38:07,100
The structure
is thinner at the top

699
00:38:07,100 --> 00:38:10,666
and requires fewer parts
to assemble.

700
00:38:10,666 --> 00:38:14,900
The tower now grows by
more than three feet each day.

701
00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:21,066
By March 15, 1889,

702
00:38:21,066 --> 00:38:25,500
the fourth upper level
is almost complete.

703
00:38:25,500 --> 00:38:27,366
But there is still
much left to do.

704
00:38:29,700 --> 00:38:31,366
Painting the tower,

705
00:38:31,366 --> 00:38:34,266
setting up the lighthouse
and the lighting system,

706
00:38:34,266 --> 00:38:36,266
and, last but not least,

707
00:38:36,266 --> 00:38:39,400
installing
the elevator trolleys.

708
00:38:41,500 --> 00:38:45,333
From the start, the city's
specifications were clear.

709
00:38:45,333 --> 00:38:48,100
If the tower was
to be 1,000 feet high,

710
00:38:48,100 --> 00:38:50,866
it should be accessible
to the public.

711
00:38:52,933 --> 00:38:56,633
And that meant elevators.

712
00:38:58,666 --> 00:39:00,700
But how to power them,

713
00:39:00,700 --> 00:39:04,833
especially in such a tall
and unusually shaped structure?

714
00:39:04,833 --> 00:39:10,033
♪ ♪

715
00:39:10,033 --> 00:39:12,200
In this space,
located right below

716
00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:14,633
one of the tower's pillars,

717
00:39:14,633 --> 00:39:16,600
Eiffel built
a one-of-a-kind elevator

718
00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:20,200
based on the same technology
he used to level the tower:

719
00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:23,333
hydraulic pressure.

720
00:39:24,833 --> 00:39:27,166
(translated):
In 1889, water pressure

721
00:39:27,166 --> 00:39:29,366
was already used
to move the elevators.

722
00:39:31,966 --> 00:39:34,433
 
NARRATOR:
Behind this complex set of tubes

723
00:39:34,433 --> 00:39:36,400
is a somewhat simple idea.

724
00:39:38,600 --> 00:39:42,533
Water is pressured from a first
cylinder into a second one.

725
00:39:42,533 --> 00:39:45,666
This generates a big push
at the other end,

726
00:39:45,666 --> 00:39:47,766
where the pressure is released.

727
00:39:47,766 --> 00:39:51,266
This move is translated
into a series of pulleys

728
00:39:51,266 --> 00:39:53,566
that stretch cables
to allow the elevator

729
00:39:53,566 --> 00:39:56,933
to move up and down.

730
00:39:56,933 --> 00:40:00,666
♪ ♪

731
00:40:00,666 --> 00:40:05,066
ROSEC (translated):
From 1900 to 1986,
there was a person

732
00:40:05,066 --> 00:40:08,300
underneath the elevators
in the pilot's cabin,

733
00:40:08,300 --> 00:40:10,500
and this person
had a big steering wheel.

734
00:40:10,500 --> 00:40:12,133
When the pilot was steering
the elevator,

735
00:40:12,133 --> 00:40:15,066
the passengers depended on
the smoothness of his movements.

736
00:40:15,066 --> 00:40:16,766
If he opened up the throttle
quickly,

737
00:40:16,766 --> 00:40:17,933
the elevator would shoot up.

738
00:40:17,933 --> 00:40:20,766
♪ ♪

739
00:40:20,766 --> 00:40:22,733
NARRATOR:
But Eiffel's promise
was to take visitors

740
00:40:22,733 --> 00:40:24,566
to the tower's very top.

741
00:40:24,566 --> 00:40:26,166
(camera whirring)

742
00:40:26,166 --> 00:40:29,900
For that purpose, he built
another set of elevators

743
00:40:29,900 --> 00:40:31,900
between
the third and fourth floors.

744
00:40:31,900 --> 00:40:34,666
♪ ♪

745
00:40:34,666 --> 00:40:36,133
(computer chirps)

746
00:40:38,733 --> 00:40:40,600
LEMOINE:
An ingenious system

747
00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:42,733
of two cabins
connected by a cable

748
00:40:42,733 --> 00:40:44,400
ensure the transport to the top,

749
00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:48,066
thanks to an 80-meters-course
hydraulic piston.

750
00:40:48,066 --> 00:40:51,533
When the piston pushes
at the lower cabin,

751
00:40:51,533 --> 00:40:53,500
up to 80 meters,

752
00:40:53,500 --> 00:40:56,500
the upper cabin
goes down 80 meters.

753
00:40:56,500 --> 00:40:57,733
At halfway,

754
00:40:57,733 --> 00:41:01,133
visitors pass
from one cabin to another

755
00:41:01,133 --> 00:41:05,133
on a platform which offers
an impressive view over Paris.

756
00:41:05,133 --> 00:41:09,000
And then the other cabin
continue its ascent.

757
00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:12,900
♪ ♪

758
00:41:15,100 --> 00:41:18,166
NARRATOR:
Today, the tower's elevators
remain a testament

759
00:41:18,166 --> 00:41:22,933
to Eiffel's bold sense
of innovation.

760
00:41:22,933 --> 00:41:25,600
But they weren't ready for
the opening of the World's Fair,

761
00:41:25,600 --> 00:41:26,966
so the first visitors

762
00:41:26,966 --> 00:41:31,166
would have to climb to the top
on foot.

763
00:41:31,166 --> 00:41:34,200
(wind howling)

764
00:41:37,433 --> 00:41:40,866
Just over a month before
the World's Fair inauguration,

765
00:41:40,866 --> 00:41:44,000
the tower's construction
is finally complete.

766
00:41:48,433 --> 00:41:50,366
And it has officially become

767
00:41:50,366 --> 00:41:52,866
the tallest building
in the world.

768
00:41:52,866 --> 00:41:56,766
♪ ♪

769
00:41:56,766 --> 00:41:58,500
For Eiffel and his team,

770
00:41:58,500 --> 00:42:02,700
this success is the result of
more than five years of work.

771
00:42:02,700 --> 00:42:08,533
♪ ♪

772
00:42:08,533 --> 00:42:12,200
But the monument would
be more than just impressive.

773
00:42:12,200 --> 00:42:15,766
It would be striking--
even colorful.

774
00:42:17,966 --> 00:42:22,700
♪ ♪

775
00:42:22,700 --> 00:42:24,333
Since its construction,

776
00:42:24,333 --> 00:42:27,433
the Eiffel Tower has
received 19 layers of paint

777
00:42:27,433 --> 00:42:28,866
to protect it from corrosion,

778
00:42:28,866 --> 00:42:32,333
an average of
once every seven years.

779
00:42:32,333 --> 00:42:37,566
♪ ♪

780
00:42:39,133 --> 00:42:41,166
Today's Eiffel Tower
has a different color

781
00:42:41,166 --> 00:42:44,266
than it did on opening day.

782
00:42:44,266 --> 00:42:48,033
To better understand the history
of the tower's coloration,

783
00:42:48,033 --> 00:42:51,400
heritage restorers
Claire Dandrel and Annick Texier

784
00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:55,266
are examining the layers
of pigment that cover the iron.

785
00:42:58,700 --> 00:43:00,900
DANDREL (translated):
Here's my incision,

786
00:43:00,900 --> 00:43:02,333
which should be pretty good.

787
00:43:02,333 --> 00:43:04,066
Now I'll sand it.

788
00:43:06,333 --> 00:43:09,066
On this beveled cut
I just made,

789
00:43:09,066 --> 00:43:11,733
I place my device,

790
00:43:11,733 --> 00:43:14,033
which is very small
and very precious.

791
00:43:14,033 --> 00:43:15,533
It's a digital field
microscope

792
00:43:15,533 --> 00:43:16,966
connected to my computer,

793
00:43:16,966 --> 00:43:19,433
and Annick checks the image
from the microscope.

794
00:43:19,433 --> 00:43:20,666
Looks good.

795
00:43:20,666 --> 00:43:22,500
(translated):
Yeah, you're pretty much

796
00:43:22,500 --> 00:43:23,500
in the middle there.

797
00:43:23,500 --> 00:43:27,433
You just have to focus.

798
00:43:27,433 --> 00:43:28,966
NARRATOR:
These photos will be used

799
00:43:28,966 --> 00:43:31,666
to document the history
of the tower's painting.

800
00:43:31,666 --> 00:43:34,700
(translated):
We see all the
stratigraphic layers,

801
00:43:34,700 --> 00:43:36,800
meaning all the colored layers
on the metal--

802
00:43:36,800 --> 00:43:38,233
the metal of the tower.

803
00:43:38,233 --> 00:43:40,966
Here we see
black with metal chips.

804
00:43:40,966 --> 00:43:44,066
On this metal,
we can see a bright red layer.

805
00:43:44,066 --> 00:43:46,800
This is Eiffel's first
preparation layer.

806
00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:48,566
(translated):
When it was constructed.

807
00:43:48,566 --> 00:43:51,233
(translated):
At that time, red was
the protection layer.

808
00:43:51,233 --> 00:43:52,933
It was applied in the workshop

809
00:43:52,933 --> 00:43:54,566
as the metal parts
were manufactured,

810
00:43:54,566 --> 00:43:58,066
and added as the tower
was being assembled.

811
00:43:58,066 --> 00:44:00,066
NARRATOR:
The conclusions are surprising.

812
00:44:01,300 --> 00:44:03,566
From one painting campaign
to the next,

813
00:44:03,566 --> 00:44:06,900
the tower's colors have changed
several times:

814
00:44:06,900 --> 00:44:09,666
from red at the time
of the World's Fair

815
00:44:09,666 --> 00:44:11,533
to much darker today.

816
00:44:15,833 --> 00:44:18,866
But now the tower
is being repainted again,

817
00:44:18,866 --> 00:44:21,666
in keeping
with its color of 1907,

818
00:44:21,666 --> 00:44:24,266
when its long-term survival
was settled.

819
00:44:24,266 --> 00:44:29,500
♪ ♪

820
00:44:34,733 --> 00:44:36,866
Covering every inch
of the structure,

821
00:44:36,866 --> 00:44:38,833
a team of acrobatic painters

822
00:44:38,833 --> 00:44:41,266
follow the same methods
as their predecessors,

823
00:44:41,266 --> 00:44:43,733
using tools such as the guipon,

824
00:44:43,733 --> 00:44:47,033
an angled brush similar to those
used by the Eiffel workers.

825
00:44:48,966 --> 00:44:54,200
♪ ♪

826
00:44:54,200 --> 00:44:56,166
It took 66 tons of paint

827
00:44:56,166 --> 00:44:59,033
to complete the tower's
19th paint job.

828
00:45:02,833 --> 00:45:08,133
♪ ♪

829
00:45:15,033 --> 00:45:19,533
♪ ♪

830
00:45:19,533 --> 00:45:23,200
NARRATOR:
It is a day of celebration
for Parisians,

831
00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:24,766
and for thousands of tourists

832
00:45:24,766 --> 00:45:28,233
who join them
from across the globe.

833
00:45:28,233 --> 00:45:31,266
After a two-year-long race
against the clock,

834
00:45:31,266 --> 00:45:34,566
the long-awaited
World's Fair of 1889

835
00:45:34,566 --> 00:45:37,300
is officially open.

836
00:45:37,300 --> 00:45:41,433
♪ ♪

837
00:45:41,433 --> 00:45:43,466
At this climactic moment,

838
00:45:43,466 --> 00:45:46,566
Gustave Eiffel is
surrounded by his engineers,

839
00:45:46,566 --> 00:45:48,533
now close friends,

840
00:45:48,533 --> 00:45:51,433
Émile Nouguier
and Maurice Koechlin.

841
00:45:51,433 --> 00:45:55,200
♪ ♪

842
00:45:55,200 --> 00:45:58,333
Although the tower
will only go by Eiffel's name,

843
00:45:58,333 --> 00:46:02,033
it is the team's accomplishment
and masterpiece.

844
00:46:04,200 --> 00:46:06,433
The product of years
of collaboration

845
00:46:06,433 --> 00:46:09,600
with a common goal,
to push boundaries

846
00:46:09,600 --> 00:46:11,533
and explore uncharted territory.

847
00:46:11,533 --> 00:46:14,366
♪ ♪

848
00:46:14,366 --> 00:46:16,400
LEMOINE:
Eiffel is proud for himself,

849
00:46:16,400 --> 00:46:18,500
but he's also proud
for his team.

850
00:46:18,500 --> 00:46:21,400
Not only him,
but his own company

851
00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:23,833
can be really proud
of this success.

852
00:46:23,833 --> 00:46:29,866
♪ ♪

853
00:46:30,933 --> 00:46:32,333
NARRATOR:
As the World's Fair gateway,

854
00:46:32,333 --> 00:46:35,733
the Eiffel Tower
is a huge success.

855
00:46:38,633 --> 00:46:40,600
From the tower's heights,

856
00:46:40,600 --> 00:46:42,833
visitors from all over the world
discover Paris

857
00:46:42,833 --> 00:46:44,700
from a completely new
vantage point.

858
00:46:48,466 --> 00:46:53,833
On the evening of May 6, 1889,

859
00:46:53,833 --> 00:46:57,300
as a grand celebration unfolds,

860
00:46:57,300 --> 00:46:59,666
Eiffel is riding high.

861
00:46:59,666 --> 00:47:03,833
♪ ♪

862
00:47:03,833 --> 00:47:06,733
But the tower's story
is far from over.

863
00:47:14,133 --> 00:47:19,100
♪ ♪

864
00:47:19,100 --> 00:47:24,133
Eiffel is worried
about the monument's future.

865
00:47:24,133 --> 00:47:26,533
He knows it has
only about a decade left

866
00:47:26,533 --> 00:47:30,733
before its lease expires.

867
00:47:30,733 --> 00:47:33,666
After that,
the tower's fate is uncertain.

868
00:47:33,666 --> 00:47:38,433
♪ ♪

869
00:47:42,666 --> 00:47:44,600
LEMOINE:
If the tower had to be destroyed

870
00:47:44,600 --> 00:47:47,233
after the 20 years' concession
which he had,

871
00:47:47,233 --> 00:47:49,433
he would have
been like an orphan,

872
00:47:49,433 --> 00:47:52,366
losing his major structure,

873
00:47:52,366 --> 00:47:55,833
losing the structure
which made him famous.

874
00:47:55,833 --> 00:47:58,466
And probably it was for him
inacceptable.

875
00:47:58,466 --> 00:48:03,566
♪ ♪

876
00:48:05,766 --> 00:48:08,133
NARRATOR:
In 1898,

877
00:48:08,133 --> 00:48:10,400
Eiffel is eager to find
a scientific justification

878
00:48:10,400 --> 00:48:13,433
to keep the tower alive.

879
00:48:15,666 --> 00:48:17,333
(telegraph beeping)

880
00:48:17,333 --> 00:48:19,833
Soon, he invites two engineers

881
00:48:19,833 --> 00:48:22,666
to carry out wireless radio
transmission experiments

882
00:48:22,666 --> 00:48:24,700
from the top of the tower.

883
00:48:28,766 --> 00:48:30,666
The experiment proves
that the height of the tower

884
00:48:30,666 --> 00:48:33,900
can extend transmission range.

885
00:48:33,900 --> 00:48:38,966
But that confirmation alone
is not enough to save the tower.

886
00:48:40,400 --> 00:48:43,233
As wireless telegraphy
is rapidly developing,

887
00:48:43,233 --> 00:48:45,600
Eiffel realizes
the tower could be

888
00:48:45,600 --> 00:48:47,666
an invaluable tool
for communication.

889
00:48:50,500 --> 00:48:51,966
And in 1904,

890
00:48:51,966 --> 00:48:55,033
the monument is equipped with
a cutting-edge antenna,

891
00:48:55,033 --> 00:48:58,133
allowing the French army
a reliable radio link

892
00:48:58,133 --> 00:49:01,900
with its defense posts
248 miles away.

893
00:49:04,900 --> 00:49:08,033
(telegraph beeping)

894
00:49:08,033 --> 00:49:10,533
The tower proves
its strategic importance.

895
00:49:13,800 --> 00:49:15,600
And in 1909,

896
00:49:15,600 --> 00:49:19,600
Eiffel finally receives
the news he was hoping for:

897
00:49:19,600 --> 00:49:21,966
the tower's lease is renewed.

898
00:49:21,966 --> 00:49:25,500
It will not be destroyed.

899
00:49:25,500 --> 00:49:26,733
LEMOINE:
Then he could be relieved

900
00:49:26,733 --> 00:49:28,633
when the concession he had

901
00:49:28,633 --> 00:49:30,466
was extended to 70 years.

902
00:49:30,466 --> 00:49:32,400
And for him,

903
00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:35,033
it's really something
to be proud of,

904
00:49:35,033 --> 00:49:37,333
to be sure
that the tower will remain.

905
00:49:37,333 --> 00:49:41,433
It was, in the beginning
of the 20th century,

906
00:49:41,433 --> 00:49:43,833
one of his main objectives.

907
00:49:43,833 --> 00:49:46,500
♪ ♪

908
00:49:46,500 --> 00:49:51,400
NARRATOR:
An emblem of the 19th century
and the Industrial Revolution,

909
00:49:51,400 --> 00:49:55,633
the Eiffel Tower ushered in
the age of skyscrapers,

910
00:49:55,633 --> 00:49:59,833
like the Chrysler Building,
completed in 1930,

911
00:49:59,833 --> 00:50:04,100
and the Empire State Building,
completed in 1931.

912
00:50:06,200 --> 00:50:07,533
LEMOINE:
The Eiffel Tower is not only

913
00:50:07,533 --> 00:50:09,566
an achievement of its time,

914
00:50:09,566 --> 00:50:12,666
it's also a symbol of
our contemporary world.

915
00:50:12,666 --> 00:50:14,933
Skyscrapers,

916
00:50:14,933 --> 00:50:16,833
tall structures,
wouldn't be there today

917
00:50:16,833 --> 00:50:18,166
if it wasn't
for the Eiffel Tower.

918
00:50:20,766 --> 00:50:22,700
NARRATOR:
Standing through
the roaring '20s,

919
00:50:22,700 --> 00:50:24,333
where it introduced radio

920
00:50:24,333 --> 00:50:27,133
to Parisians
for the very first time...

921
00:50:27,133 --> 00:50:30,833
(man speaking French on radio)

922
00:50:30,833 --> 00:50:33,000
(crowd cheering)

923
00:50:33,000 --> 00:50:35,433
Enduring two world wars,

924
00:50:35,433 --> 00:50:37,866
where it was used as
a one-of-a-kind antenna...

925
00:50:37,866 --> 00:50:40,800
(cheering)

926
00:50:40,800 --> 00:50:45,633
NARRATOR:
Bringing major contributions
to science and technology...

927
00:50:48,166 --> 00:50:50,600
The tower steadily
claimed its place

928
00:50:50,600 --> 00:50:54,466
as a timeless icon and a
crucial part of French identity.

929
00:51:00,766 --> 00:51:02,333
♪ ♪

930
00:51:02,333 --> 00:51:06,433
Today, the Eiffel Tower
continues reinventing itself.

931
00:51:08,766 --> 00:51:11,833
In 2000,
20,000 strobing lights

932
00:51:11,833 --> 00:51:14,233
were placed directly
on the tower's structure.

933
00:51:17,600 --> 00:51:20,200
♪ ♪

934
00:51:20,200 --> 00:51:22,033
And 22 years later,

935
00:51:22,033 --> 00:51:24,533
a team of specialists
installed a new antenna

936
00:51:24,533 --> 00:51:28,566
to set up Paris's
new digital radio network.

937
00:51:33,600 --> 00:51:35,266
Although it
is very representative

938
00:51:35,266 --> 00:51:38,133
of the 19th century,
the Eiffel Tower

939
00:51:38,133 --> 00:51:41,966
still stands today
as a source of inspiration

940
00:51:41,966 --> 00:51:45,400
for engineers, architects,
builders in the world.

941
00:51:45,400 --> 00:51:48,466
♪ ♪

942
00:51:48,466 --> 00:51:53,666
NARRATOR:
A universal icon
of Paris and France,

943
00:51:53,666 --> 00:51:56,866
the Eiffel Tower
continues to stand

944
00:51:56,866 --> 00:51:58,833
the test of time,

945
00:51:58,833 --> 00:52:04,400
inspiring those who see her
to dream bigger and bigger.

946
00:52:04,400 --> 00:52:08,433
♪ ♪

947
00:52:15,000 --> 00:52:19,233
♪ ♪

948
00:52:20,000 --> 00:52:22,766
♪ ♪

949
00:52:22,766 --> 00:52:29,233
♪ ♪

950
00:52:30,466 --> 00:52:38,000
♪ ♪

951
00:52:41,833 --> 00:52:49,366
♪ ♪

952
00:52:51,000 --> 00:52:58,533
♪ ♪

953
00:53:00,233 --> 00:53:07,766
♪ ♪

954
00:53:13,500 --> 00:53:20,666
♪ ♪