Whether you've been lucky enough to have visited Paris or have only dreamed of going there, you likely know the French capital's most beloved landmark and perhaps the most famous city landmark in the world, the Eiffel Tower.

Constructed in 1887-1889, the Eiffel Tower was initially criticized by some famous French artists and intellectuals for its design style and use of iron as a building material.

At the time, iron was only used as a building material for interiors or in unimportant buildings. French civil engineer Gustave Eiffel is often credited with designing the tower, however, it was actually Maurice Cochlin and Emile Nougir, two lesser-known individuals, who drew the original plans for the monument.

Despite initial criticism, the Eiffel Tower's unique structure and novel appearance completely overturned the perceptions of the conservative architectural greats of the time.

As Amsterdam-based art historian Tea Gudek Snajdar says, "Although at first it was considered the ugliest building in Paris, it soon became a symbol of the city." Now a global cultural icon in France and one of the most famous buildings in the world, the Eiffel Tower is the most visited monument in the world on a daily basis.

Standing 324 meters tall, approximately the same height as an 81-story building, the Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in Paris. Its base measures 125 meters on each side.

During its construction, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument as the tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years until the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York City in 1930.

In 1957, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the height of the Chrysler Building in New York City with the addition of a broadcast antenna at the top of the tower, making it 5.2 meters taller than the Chrysler Building. Today, the Eiffel Tower is the second tallest freestanding structure in France after the Millau Viaduct.

To celebrate the countdown to the year 2000 on December 31, 1999, flashing lights and high-powered searchlights were installed on the Eiffel Tower.

The searchlights at the top of the tower make it a beacon in the Parisian night sky and the 20,000 flashing bulbs made the tower flash for five minutes every hour. The fireworks that were set off around the tower and the Eiffel Tower reflected each other, beautifully decorating the night sky of Paris.

The Eiffel Tower has three levels for visitors, with restaurants on the first and second levels. The highest level, the upper deck, is 276 meters above the ground and is the highest observation deck in Europe. If you want to go to the top of the tower's observation deck and take in the views of the city of Paris, you will need to buy a ticket to visit, which includes the cost of an elevator ride.

However, you can choose to ascend to the observation deck from the ground level or take the elevator from the first or second level to the observation deck. Don't miss the opportunity to take a group photo at the top of the Eiffel Tower.