The Sparkly Giant of Paris

I am a giant made of sparkly iron lace. I live in a beautiful city called Paris. From way up high, I watch tiny boats drift on the river and little cars zoom by like busy bugs. At night, I twinkle with thousands of lights, like I am wearing a diamond dress. I can touch the clouds on foggy days and feel the sunshine warm my pointy top. I love to watch children point up at me and wave hello. Do you know who I am? I am the Eiffel Tower.

I was built for a very big birthday party. A long, long time ago, in the year 1889, the city of Paris had a huge celebration called the World's Fair. A very clever man named Gustave Eiffel and his team decided to build something special for the party. They built me. They put me together piece by piece, just like a giant puzzle. Strong iron beams were bolted together, one after another. I grew taller and taller, reaching for the sky. First, I was taller than the houses. Then, I was taller than the trees. Soon, I was the tallest thing in the whole wide world. It felt so exciting to see everything from so high up. I was a brand new, shiny tower ready for the party.

Today, I am still here, standing tall and proud. Friends from all over the world come to visit me. They ride in my elevators, going up, up, up to my tippy-top. From there, they can see all of Paris sparkling below. Every night, when the sun goes to sleep, I put on my sparkly light show. I twinkle and shine to say hello to the moon and the stars. I am a happy friend to everyone in the city, and I am here to remind you that even the biggest dreams can reach the sky if you build them piece by piece.

Construction began 1887
Construction completed 1889
Opened to the public 1889
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