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Eiffel Tower full of rust and in need of repair

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Eiffel Tower - Level 0

The Eiffel Tower is world famous. It gets millions of tourists every year. However, it is getting old. It is 133 years old. Engineers found it is full of rust. They said it was "in a poor state". The tower needs many repairs. If it is not repaired, it might not be safe. Its designer, Gustave Eiffel, would be sad if he saw it today.

The Eiffel Tower opened in 1889. It was built for the 1889 World's Fair in Paris. It contains 10,100 tons of iron. It was built just for 20 years. The French government decided to keep it. The tower is being repainted for the 2024 Olympics. Engineers say new paint will not make the rust go away.

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Eiffel Tower - Level 1

The Eiffel Tower is a world-famous sight. It gets millions of tourists every year. It has been an important part of Paris for 133 years. However, it is getting old. Engineers found its metal is full of rust. They said it was "in a poor state". They said its designer Gustave Eiffel "would have a heart attack" if he was alive today. The tower needs many repairs. A report said it had 698 faults. These could put its long-term future in doubt.

The Eiffel Tower opened to the public in 1889. It was built for the 1889 World's Fair in Paris. It contains 10,100 tons of iron and 2.5 million rivets. The original plan was for it to be taken down after 20 years. The French government changed its mind and kept it. The tower is now being repainted. Engineers say paint will not make the rust go away. They say all the paint needs to be removed first. However, this would take too long.

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Eiffel Tower - Level 2

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The Eiffel Tower is a world-famous sight. The 324-metre-tall tower gets millions of tourists every year. It has been an important part of the Paris skyline for 133 years. However, it is showing its age. Engineers conducted a survey of the tower and found its metal is full of rust. They said it was "in a poor state". They said if its designer, Gustave Eiffel, was alive today, "he would have a heart attack". There are many cracks in the iron. The tower needs many repairs. A report said there were 698 faults on the tower. These could put the tower's long-term future in doubt.

Building of the Eiffel Tower started in 1887. It opened to the public in 1889. It was built for the 1889 World's Fair in Paris. It contains 10,100 tons of iron, 18,000 sections and 2.5 million rivets. The original plan was for the tower to be taken down after 20 years. The French government changed its mind and kept it. The tower is now being repainted for the 2024 Olympics. Engineers say painting it will not make the rust problem go away. They say all the paint needs to be removed first. However, this would take too long. The tower would lose tourist revenue.

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Eiffel Tower - Level 3

The Eiffel Tower is one of the world's most famous sights. The 324-metre-tall iron tower attracts millions of tourists to Paris every year. It has been an iconic part of Paris' skyline for 133 years. However, it is showing its age. Engineers recently conducted a survey of the monument. They found that its metal is full of rust. They said it is "in a poor state". They added that if its designer Gustave Eiffel was alive today and saw his creation, "he would have a heart attack". Engineers say there are many cracks in the iron. The tower needs many repairs. A 2016 report on the tower stated there were 698 faults on the tower. These were serious enough to put the tower's long-term future in doubt.

Construction of the Eiffel Tower started in January 1887. It opened to the public on the 31st of March, 1889. It was built to celebrate the 1889 World's Fair in Paris. Builders needed 10,100 tons of iron to make the tower. It was made from 18,000 sections and 2.5 million rivets. The original plan was for the tower to be taken down after 20 years. However, the French government changed its mind and kept it in place. The tower is currently being repainted ahead of the 2024 Olympics. Engineers say painting the metal will not make the rust problem go away. They say the existing paint needs to be completely removed first. However, this will take too long and the tower would lose tourist revenue.

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25 online activities    |    27-page printable    |    2-page mini-lesson

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