Do you know the Eiffel Tower when you see a picture of it? Of course you do! So do a lot of other people. In fact, I believe more people recognize the Eiffel Tower than any other famous structure in the whole world. That long, long capital A is easy to remember. The Eiffel Tower is the famous symbol of the city of Paris. It also stands for France just as the Statue of Liberty stands for the United States. The Eiffel Tower was not very well liked at first, even though the design had been chosen out of seven hundred designs. A contest had been held to find a design for a tower to be built in Paris by 1889.That year would be one hundred years after the war known as the French Revolution. The French Revolution marked the time when the French people broke away from the rule of kings. It was a very important thing to all Frenchmen, and they wanted a special tower to be built to mark the 100 years. When his design was chosen, Eiffel was fifty-four, rich, and well-known for his fine work. He had already designed dams, churches, railroad stations, bridges, harbors and, of course, the framework of the Statue of Liberty. But it was the Eiffel Tower that made him really famous. At first, the French hated the tower. When it was begun in 1887, people called it ugly and useless. They also said that it couldn't be built safely, and that it would fall down. As the tower gets close to her nineties, she is still in great shape. And the French people have changed their minds. Now they are very proud of their Eiffel Tower. They even think she is beautiful! The writer believes that the Eiffel Tower is   _  than any other famous structure in the world.
taller older better designed better known