Eiffel Tower, why?

France
eiffeltoren-830-150p.jpgA few weeks ago, Gerrit Jan let us know that he had been to Paris. And naturally, he climbed the Eiffel Tower (or did he take the elevator?). He also showed us some stamps. But why the Eiffel Tower? The tower is named after its designer, architect Gustave Eiffel. This 317-meter-high tower was built for the World's Fair in 1889. Approximately 300 steelworkers constructed the 7.300-ton tower starting in 1887, and it was officially opened to the public on May 6, 1889.  eiffeltoren-400p.jpg The tower was to be dismantled after 20 years, but then it was discovered that the tower could be very well used for the emerging radio technology. On November 5, 1897, a year after Marconi's experiments, Eugène Ducretet began transmission trials via a transmission mast on the third level of the Eiffel Tower. eiffeltoren-832-200p.jpgA radiotelegraphic signal in Morse code was transmitted and picked up by a receiver located in the Panthéon, 4 km away. This marked the beginning of TSF – Télégraphie sans fil – wireless broadcasting – in France. The first long-distance message via radio was transmitted from the tower on January 12, 1908.  eiffeltoren-827-400p.jpg By now, the tower is visited by many millions of tourists as one of the most important sights in France; a visit to France, and certainly to Paris, should therefore not be concluded without seeing and climbing the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower has become the symbol of Paris. eiffeltoren-831-200p.jpg Many countries have immortalized the Eiffel Tower on their stamps. Of course, France itself, but also other countries, within and outside Europe.   eiffeltoren-829-200p.jpgGerrit Jan's call to report more stamps featuring the tower received only a meager response. This prompted me to rummage through my books. And after a few books, I already had a nice haul. A repetition of the call: who can show or report any more? There are certainly more! eiffeltoren-828-150p.jpg

3 comments

  1. Michel 1347, issued October 17, 2001, Algeria. National Day of Algerians Abroad, 40th anniversary of the violent crackdown on Algerian demonstrators in Paris. The stamp is, as it were, divided in two by an explosion and behind it a green flag, the pole of which ends in a dove of peace (green is the color of Islam; in my opinion, this is therefore not the Algerian flag, as that is green/white).
    On the right, demonstrators and the army clashing; on the left, a peaceful view of the Eiffel Tower and the river.

    Uh... I'm not choosing anything, I'm just giving a description!

  2. Further:

    -Afghanistan 1999
    -Chad 1999 6 different sheets
    -France 1951 with UN buildings? set of 2 in red and blue
    -Laos 1958 UNESCO inauguration
    -Laos 1982 Philexfrance 1982
    -Mongolia 1982 Philexfrance 1982
    -Mongolia 1989 2x Philexfrance 1989
    -Nicaragua 1984 herdenking Gottlieb
    Daimler (auto’s)
    -Niger 1998 Met Bobby Jones, souvenir sheet
    -Poland 1978 with monument to Polish fighters in France
    -Sharjah 1970 puts Charles le Gaulle
    -St. Thomas&Prince Islands 1978 centenary of UPU
    -Wallis & Futuna 1983 Gustave Eiffel

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