As featured by Open Culture
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Music: Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns, 1886
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The Eiffel Tower was built over 18 months – from August 1887 to March 1889. This film shows the construction sequence, starting with the foundations and ending with the cupola.
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Sources
Model created in SketchUp and shared here for free download.
Or view the Eiffel Tower in virtual reality from Sketchfab
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Further Reading
Gustave Eiffel’s original plans and drawings for the tower were first published in 1900 and re-published in 2008 by Taschen.
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![Foundation Construction Foundation Construction](https://i0.wp.com/www.myleszhang.org/files/2018/01/Foundation-Construction-1qjopdy-10jezky.jpg?w=340&h=204&ssl=1)
Foundation Construction
![The start of the erection of the metalwork The start of the erection of the metalwork](https://i0.wp.com/www.myleszhang.org/files/2018/01/1-The-start-of-the-erection-of-the-metalwork-27j70d4-2brgtsv.jpg?w=340&h=275&ssl=1)
The start of the erection of the metalwork
![7 December 1888 Construction of the legs with wood scaffolding 7 December 1888 Construction of the legs with wood scaffolding](https://i0.wp.com/www.myleszhang.org/files/2018/01/2-7-December-1887-Construction-of-the-legs-with-scaffolding-1763chw-1obz4pn.jpg?w=602&h=483&ssl=1)
7 December 1888 Construction of the legs with wood scaffolding
![20 March 1888 - Completion of the first level 20 March 1888 - Completion of the first level](https://i0.wp.com/www.myleszhang.org/files/2018/01/3-20-March-1888-Completion-of-the-first-level-vuz166-1gli7pt.jpg?w=471&h=377&ssl=1)
20 March 1888 – Completion of the first level
![15 May 1888 - Start of construction on the second stage 15 May 1888 - Start of construction on the second stage](https://i0.wp.com/www.myleszhang.org/files/2018/01/4-15-May-1888-Start-of-construction-on-the-second-stage-1bfwpwe-1y2zc9u.jpg?w=471&h=377&ssl=1)
15 May 1888 – Start of construction on the second stage
![21 August 1888 - Completion of the second level 21 August 1888 - Completion of the second level](https://i0.wp.com/www.myleszhang.org/files/2018/01/5-21-August-1888-Completion-of-the-second-level-p7ugej-1qlxo40.jpg?w=312&h=399&ssl=1)
21 August 1888 – Completion of the second level
![26 December 1888 - Construction of the upper stage 26 December 1888 - Construction of the upper stage](https://i0.wp.com/www.myleszhang.org/files/2018/01/6-26-December-1888-Construction-of-the-upper-stage-1q10iys-uhgw8s.jpg?w=325&h=399&ssl=1)
26 December 1888 – Construction of the upper stage
![15 March 1889 - Construction of the cupola 15 March 1889 - Construction of the cupola](https://i0.wp.com/www.myleszhang.org/files/2018/01/7-15-March-1889-Construction-of-the-cupola-196m1pi-1xafjqx.jpg?w=301&h=399&ssl=1)
15 March 1889 – Construction of the cupola
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