La Tour Eiffel - 135 years of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Probably the most famous landmark in the French capital - the Eiffel Tower - celebrates its 135th anniversary in 2024.
The tower, built 1889 for the World Exhibition according to the plans of engineer Gustave Eiffel and made of 18000 riveted steel and iron components, is located on the banks of the Seine. At 330 metres high, it can be seen from far beyond the city and was the tallest building in the world until the Chrysler Building was built in New York in 1930.
The Coin Cabinet's medal collection contains two medals related to the construction of the Eiffel Tower, including a souvenir medal ‘on the ascent to the top of the Eiffel Tower’ from 1889. 42 mm in diameter, the piece shows the Eiffel Tower on one side in front of the tallest buildings known at the time, including the obelisk of the Washington Monument, the pyramids of Giza and St Peter's Basilica in Rome. On the other side is the French legend SOUVENIR DE MON ASCENSION AU SOMMET DE LA TOUR EIFFEL 1889.
The second medal shows the construction work on the Eiffel Tower with three craftsmen at work on the obverse. The reverse shows a view of the highest point, the top of the Tower. The medal, created by the French medallist Alexandre Charpentier (1856-1909), also served as a souvenir of a visit to the Eiffel Tower and could presumably be purchased on site.
The Eiffel Tower is also at the centre of the Olympic Games currently taking place in Paris. At its feet, the victory ceremonies, including the medal ceremony for the best athletes, take place every evening in the Trocadéro gardens. And between the first and second floors, the intertwined five rings have been installed as a symbol and sign of the Games that can be seen from afar.
Image: Charles Trotin, Souvenir medal of the Eiffel Tower on the occasion of the World Exhibition in Paris, France, bronze, gilt, 1889, MK 24393/1914B.
