This Day in History: Eiffel Tower Opens.<br />March 31, 1889.<br />Designed by Gustave Eiffel, the tower was completed under budget in less than two years. Eiffel's design was chosen among more than 100 others. <br />The structure was meant to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution.<br />At the time of its opening, it was the tallest man-made structure in the world.<br />Eiffel faced design skepticism and criticism. Decades after its construction, the tower was regarded as a masterpiece of architecture.<br />Less than two months after its opening, the tower would serve as the entrance to the Paris International Exposition.
