The Eiffel Tower was not intended to be in Paris

This post was created with the support of OpenAI.

Paris, the European city of love, is synonymous with romance, art, and the iconic Eiffel Tower. Standing tall and proud, this architectural marvel draws almost seven million visitors annually, consistently ranking among the top three most visited monuments worldwide. Yet, its journey to becoming the heart of the French capital is filled with twists and tales that few know about.

It’s hard to envision the Parisian skyline without the Eiffel Tower’s majestic silhouette. Still, what if this emblematic structure was never meant for Paris? The architect, Gustave Eiffel, initially approached Spain with a proposal to construct this grand metal edifice in Barcelona. Despite its innovative design, complete with an operational lift to the pinnacle, the Spanish authorities declined, leading to what might be considered today a 400-billion-euro oversight. To put this in perspective, the Eiffel Tower’s value surpasses Rome’s Colosseum, worth 91 billion euros, and even the Tower of London, estimated around 70 billion euros.

However, the Eiffel Tower’s journey in Paris wasn’t without its share of controversies. When introduced to the 1889 International Exposition, the Parisians were skeptical, with some even dubbing it a “metal asparagus.” There was talk of dismantling the…