Standing in the heart of Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. But did you know that this iconic tower was once heavily criticized?

The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 World’s Fair, which also commemorated the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. The project was led by engineer Gustave Eiffel. Construction began in January 1887 and was completed in just 2 years, 2 months, and 5 days—an extraordinary achievement for its time.

The tower consists of around 18,038 metal parts and was assembled using approximately 2.5 million rivets. When it opened, it stood more than 300 meters tall, making it the tallest structure in the world at the time.

Interestingly, many Parisian artists and intellectuals considered its design strange and believed it did not fit the beauty of the city. However, after opening to the public, its popularity quickly grew. Nearly 2 million people visited the Eiffel Tower during the 1889 World’s Fair.

From a structure once considered ugly to one of the world’s most recognizable landmarks, the Eiffel Tower proves that something controversial today can become a treasured symbol of the future.