The Eiffel Tower, which sits along Paris' Champ de Mars, turns 128 years old this March.
From 1889 to 1930, it reigned as the tallest structure in the world.
Let's take a look back at the Iron Lady's construction, which spanned just two years.
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The Eiffel Tower gets its name from its engineer, Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and constructed the tower (Eiffel worked on the interior of the Statue of Liberty as well). Here's an 1889 photo of him and another man standing near the top of the tower.
Source: Tour Eiffel
Construction began in January 1887. The design plans called for 18,038 pieces of wrought iron and 2.5 million rivets.
Source: Tour Eiffel
Approximately 300 workers were hired to work on the intricate structure.
Source: Tour Eiffel
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