Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (pronounced (); Dijon, December 15, 1832 – Paris, December 27, 1923) was a French civil engineer. He graduated from the École centrale Paris and gained renown designing several bridges for the French railway network, of which the Garabit viaduct is especially notable.
His current fame is due to his star project, the world-famous Eiffel Tower, built for the Paris World's Fair of 1889. After his retirement from engineering, Eiffel dedicated himself to researching meteorology and aerodynamics, making important contributions in both fields.
Émile Nouguier and Maurice Koechlin contributed to the tower's final design, and several details by architect Stephen Sauvestre were added.[5].
Biographical data
The surname Eiffel was adopted by his grandfather Jeane Bönickhausen, who emigrated to Bougirate"), from the city of Marmagen, and settled in Paris[6] at the beginning of the century, taken from his birthplace, the Eifel region (Germany), since in French his true surname Bönickhausen could not be pronounced. Although the family already used Eiffel, Gustave was registered at birth as Bonickhausen dit Eiffel,[7] and he did not officially change it to Eiffel until 1880 (at the age of 48).[8].
He studied at the École centrale Paris, from which he graduated as an engineer in 1855. Shortly after, he began working in a railway equipment company.
In 1867 he founded the consulting and construction company Eiffel et Cie., which acquired great international prestige in the use of iron, building hundreds of important structures (bridges, cranes, stations, etc.).
With the help of engineer Téophile Seyrig"), he was awarded an international auction to design and build a 160-meter-span viaduct over the Douro River, between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. His proposal used the "method of forces", a new technique for designing structures, created by Maxwell in 1846. The María Pía bridge is made up of a double arch that supports the single railway track by means of pillars that reinforce the entire bridge. Construction was quite fast and was completed in less than two years (January 5, 1876-November 4, 1877). It was inaugurated by King Luis I and Queen María Pía. The bridge was used until 1991 (114 years) and was replaced by the new San Juan bridge.[9].
His most famous construction is the Eiffel Tower (1887 and 1889), for the 1889 World's Fair "Paris Universal Exhibition (1889)") in Paris, France. This large iron structure, which would become the symbol of Paris, would have several uses throughout its history. In World War II it was used as an antenna so that the Allies could spy on the maneuvers of the German army. Likewise, he designed the internal structure of the Statue of Liberty in New York. He also gained experience designing iron bridges.
Gustave Eiffel (Engineer)
Introduction
Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (pronounced (); Dijon, December 15, 1832 – Paris, December 27, 1923) was a French civil engineer. He graduated from the École centrale Paris and gained renown designing several bridges for the French railway network, of which the Garabit viaduct is especially notable.
His current fame is due to his star project, the world-famous Eiffel Tower, built for the Paris World's Fair of 1889. After his retirement from engineering, Eiffel dedicated himself to researching meteorology and aerodynamics, making important contributions in both fields.
Émile Nouguier and Maurice Koechlin contributed to the tower's final design, and several details by architect Stephen Sauvestre were added.[5].
Biographical data
The surname Eiffel was adopted by his grandfather Jeane Bönickhausen, who emigrated to Bougirate"), from the city of Marmagen, and settled in Paris[6] at the beginning of the century, taken from his birthplace, the Eifel region (Germany), since in French his true surname Bönickhausen could not be pronounced. Although the family already used Eiffel, Gustave was registered at birth as Bonickhausen dit Eiffel,[7] and he did not officially change it to Eiffel until 1880 (at the age of 48).[8].
He studied at the École centrale Paris, from which he graduated as an engineer in 1855. Shortly after, he began working in a railway equipment company.
In 1867 he founded the consulting and construction company Eiffel et Cie., which acquired great international prestige in the use of iron, building hundreds of important structures (bridges, cranes, stations, etc.).
With the help of engineer Téophile Seyrig"), he was awarded an international auction to design and build a 160-meter-span viaduct over the Douro River, between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. His proposal used the "method of forces", a new technique for designing structures, created by Maxwell in 1846. The María Pía bridge is made up of a double arch that supports the single railway track by means of pillars that reinforce the entire bridge. Construction was quite fast and was completed in less than two years (January 5, 1876-November 4, 1877). It was inaugurated by King Luis I and Queen María Pía. The bridge was used until 1991 (114 years) and was replaced by the new San Juan bridge.[9].
He also designed La Ruche in Paris,[10] which would become, like the Eiffel Tower, a landmark of the city. It is a three-story circular structure that looks like a beehive. It was created as a temporary construction for the Great Exhibition of 1900.[11].
In South America he is credited with the design of the Santiago Central Station, in circumstances that this building declared a National Monument by Supreme Decree No. 614 of June 29, 1983, was designed by Schneider, its main competitor, and built by Le Creuzot. In Peru, the Chilean occupation government after the Pacific War commissioned a subsidiary of Eiffel et Cie to carry out the last stage of construction of the Tacna Cathedral, and in Chilean territory the construction of the Customs House. He also built the structure of the Cathedral of San Marcos in Arica, Chile.
Likewise, the Railway Terminal of the city of La Paz, Bolivia, which is currently the bus terminal of said city, and the construction in 1906, commissioned by the authorities of the “Sucre” Medical Institute, of a replica of the tower "Eiffel Tower (Sucre)") in the Bolívar Park of Sucre, capital of Bolivia, which were built by license companies of Eiffel et Cie.
Likewise, a series of bridge designs and major works in iron are attributed to him, such as the old bridge to the Rocha River in Cochabamba replaced by bridges for vehicle circulation, the design of the Chiclayo cathedral, located in the north of Peru, in its main square,[12] as well as the beams of the Balta bridge in the city of Lima, and the arches of the Exhibition Palace, current Museum of Art of Lima, La Casa de Fierro, located in the Amazonian city from Iquitos.[13].
In 1907 he also designed the Central Market of the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, currently called the Crystal Palace. He is also wrongly attributed with the authorship of the construction of the Iron Bridge in Arequipa "Puente de Fierro (Arequipa)"), a bridge with a Fink truss and the substructure composed of a Phoenix Column from the Phoenix lron Company.[14].
Other works designed by Eiffel are: the Puente del Arte "Puente del Arte (Ecatepec, México)") or Puente de Fierro "Puente de Fierro (Ecatepec, México)"), which today is a museum in the municipality of Ecatepec, in the state of Mexico, and the Church of Santa Rosalía&action=edit&redlink=1 "Church of Santa Rosalía (Baja California) (not yet written)"), in Baja California Sur, purchased by the general Charles La Forqué"), then owner of the El Boleo mining company, established in the region. Likewise, he designed the first building of the El Palacio de Hierro warehouse in the center of Mexico City, which was consumed by flames in 1914.
Eiffel's reputation suffered a severe blow when he was implicated in the Panama scandal, a corruption case related to the failed attempt to build the Panama Canal. He was initially found guilty, but was later acquitted and was never imprisoned, although it marked the end of his career as a builder. Since that scandal he dedicated himself to work in other fields, such as meteorology and aerodynamics.[15].
Eiffel died on December 27, 1923, at the age of 91, in his mansion on Rue Rabelais in Paris and was buried, with all honors, in the family tomb in the Levallois-Perret cemetery"), in the same town.[16]
Project gallery
Bridges
San Miguel Bridge (Arcos de la Frontera. (Cádiz) (Andalusia).
Eiffel Tower
Photographic sequence of the construction of the engineer's most emblematic work, the Eiffel Tower in Paris:.
Eponymy
The asteroid (37683) Gustaveeiffel_Gustaveeiffel "(37683) Gustaveeiffel") was named after this architect.[17].
References
[1] ↑ Estado civil de la Côte-d'Or, Dijon, Registros de estado civil 1832, p. 249.
His most famous construction is the Eiffel Tower (1887 and 1889), for the 1889 World's Fair "Paris Universal Exhibition (1889)") in Paris, France. This large iron structure, which would become the symbol of Paris, would have several uses throughout its history. In World War II it was used as an antenna so that the Allies could spy on the maneuvers of the German army. Likewise, he designed the internal structure of the Statue of Liberty in New York. He also gained experience designing iron bridges.
He also designed La Ruche in Paris,[10] which would become, like the Eiffel Tower, a landmark of the city. It is a three-story circular structure that looks like a beehive. It was created as a temporary construction for the Great Exhibition of 1900.[11].
In South America he is credited with the design of the Santiago Central Station, in circumstances that this building declared a National Monument by Supreme Decree No. 614 of June 29, 1983, was designed by Schneider, its main competitor, and built by Le Creuzot. In Peru, the Chilean occupation government after the Pacific War commissioned a subsidiary of Eiffel et Cie to carry out the last stage of construction of the Tacna Cathedral, and in Chilean territory the construction of the Customs House. He also built the structure of the Cathedral of San Marcos in Arica, Chile.
Likewise, the Railway Terminal of the city of La Paz, Bolivia, which is currently the bus terminal of said city, and the construction in 1906, commissioned by the authorities of the “Sucre” Medical Institute, of a replica of the tower "Eiffel Tower (Sucre)") in the Bolívar Park of Sucre, capital of Bolivia, which were built by license companies of Eiffel et Cie.
Likewise, a series of bridge designs and major works in iron are attributed to him, such as the old bridge to the Rocha River in Cochabamba replaced by bridges for vehicle circulation, the design of the Chiclayo cathedral, located in the north of Peru, in its main square,[12] as well as the beams of the Balta bridge in the city of Lima, and the arches of the Exhibition Palace, current Museum of Art of Lima, La Casa de Fierro, located in the Amazonian city from Iquitos.[13].
In 1907 he also designed the Central Market of the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, currently called the Crystal Palace. He is also wrongly attributed with the authorship of the construction of the Iron Bridge in Arequipa "Puente de Fierro (Arequipa)"), a bridge with a Fink truss and the substructure composed of a Phoenix Column from the Phoenix lron Company.[14].
Other works designed by Eiffel are: the Puente del Arte "Puente del Arte (Ecatepec, México)") or Puente de Fierro "Puente de Fierro (Ecatepec, México)"), which today is a museum in the municipality of Ecatepec, in the state of Mexico, and the Church of Santa Rosalía&action=edit&redlink=1 "Church of Santa Rosalía (Baja California) (not yet written)"), in Baja California Sur, purchased by the general Charles La Forqué"), then owner of the El Boleo mining company, established in the region. Likewise, he designed the first building of the El Palacio de Hierro warehouse in the center of Mexico City, which was consumed by flames in 1914.
Eiffel's reputation suffered a severe blow when he was implicated in the Panama scandal, a corruption case related to the failed attempt to build the Panama Canal. He was initially found guilty, but was later acquitted and was never imprisoned, although it marked the end of his career as a builder. Since that scandal he dedicated himself to work in other fields, such as meteorology and aerodynamics.[15].
Eiffel died on December 27, 1923, at the age of 91, in his mansion on Rue Rabelais in Paris and was buried, with all honors, in the family tomb in the Levallois-Perret cemetery"), in the same town.[16]
Project gallery
Bridges
San Miguel Bridge (Arcos de la Frontera. (Cádiz) (Andalusia).
Eiffel Tower
Photographic sequence of the construction of the engineer's most emblematic work, the Eiffel Tower in Paris:.
Eponymy
The asteroid (37683) Gustaveeiffel_Gustaveeiffel "(37683) Gustaveeiffel") was named after this architect.[17].
References
[1] ↑ Estado civil de la Côte-d'Or, Dijon, Registros de estado civil 1832, p. 249.