The Eiffel Tower

And here we are. This is where our walk through the 7th arrondissement had to end. There really was no other option.

What you're seeing is 7,300 tons of iron held together by 2.5 million rivets, assembled in just over two years. On the photos attached to this stop, you can see exactly how the structure was built up layer by layer. Honestly, it looks like the world's most ambitious Lego project for advanced builders.

Now, a rumour that keeps circulating among historians: Gustave Eiffel apparently first offered this design for a world exposition in Barcelona. The Spanish organizers passed. Paris said yes. Just let that sink in for a moment.

The tower was meant to be demolished after twenty years, but a radio antenna saved it. During World War II, orders came to destroy it entirely, yet Paris was liberated before that could happen. And now, nearly seven million people visit every year.

Gustave Eiffel himself reserved the top floor as a private apartment, where he once hosted Thomas Edison. Today, you can go up there and order a glass of champagne while looking out over the entire city.

Not a bad ending for a building that was called an eyesore.

Oh, and don't forget to send a photo to the family back home!