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Nadar · Public domain
19th century · 1832–1923
Gustave Eiffel
Gustave Eiffel · France
French civil engineer
Best known for the Eiffel Tower, which his company built for the 1889 Paris Exposition — though the original idea came from two of the company's engineers, Koechlin and Nouguier. In 1881 the sculptor Bartholdi approached him to design the internal iron structure of the Statue of Liberty.
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History · Statue of Liberty
A gift made by a sculptor and an engineer together
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the United States, designed by the sculptor Bartholdi. The internal iron framework was originally the responsibility of Viollet-le-Duc; after his death, Bartholdi turned to Eiffel in 1881, who completed the design of the internal structure. The statue was erected in 1886 on Liberty Island at the entrance to New York Harbor.
History · Eiffel Tower
A tower built for a World's Fair
The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 Paris World's Fair and designed by Eiffel's company, the original concept coming from the company's engineers Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier. In a speech Eiffel said the tower symbolised not only the art of the modern engineer but also a century of industry and science. Many cultural figures of the day publicly opposed it, including Charles Garnier, architect of the Paris Opéra.
