Well, here it is again. That enduring symbol of Paris and, of course, of France: la tour Eiffel (the Eiffel Tower). It's difficult, if not impossible, to be in Paris and not catch a glimpse. I don't know how many photos I've taken of it over the decades. This one is from somewhere* in the 15th Arrondissement, just south and a little west of the tower, not far from the river. I took it while walking in that neighborhood in the summer of 2006.
The tower was built for the Exposition Universelle (World's Fair) of 1889, the one-hundredth anniversary of the French Revolution. It was intended to be temporary, to be demolished after twenty years. But its value as a communications tower saved it. The tower and the city were later spared by one of Hitler's generals when he defied the German leader's orders to destroy them both as the Second World War came to an end.
* I figured out where. It's on the rue Saint-Saëns where it intersects with the Boulevard de Grenelle.
General Dietrich von Choltitz was of the kind of military who knew when to disobey an order.
ReplyDeleteDid I ever tell you that I have a piece of the iron that was used to build the Grande Dame de Paris?
Temporary! Permanent structures aren’t built as well. Did you know that it’s a perfect, large-scale replica of the one in Las Vegas?
ReplyDeleteROFLMAO, Mitchel!
DeleteAhhhhh Mitchell!
DeleteIt always brings me fun memories
ReplyDelete"Is Paris Burning?" was written perhaps 20 years after the war, with interviews of people who were there. It's a good read. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213843.Is_Paris_Burning_
ReplyDeleteAn there's this, an account of the Worlds Fair and M. Eiffel's Tower:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/300600/eiffels-tower-by-jill-jonnes/
chm, cool! I don't think you've mentioned that before.
ReplyDeletemitch, fun facts! LOL
travel, :)
emm, thanks for the links!