Eiffel, Alexander Gustave

Born Dec. 15, 1832, in Dijon; died Dec. 28,1923, in Paris. French structural engineer.

Eiffel graduated from the Ecole Céntrale des Arts et Manufactures in Paris in 1855. He used metal structural members to build a number of bridges, viaducts, and other structures, including a bridge over the Douro River at Porto, Portugal. Eiffel became world famous for the wrought-iron latticed tower known as the Eiffel Tower, which is approximately 300 m high and was built according to his specifications for the Paris International Exposition of 1889 as a symbol of the technological achievements of the 19th century. During the erection of the tower, a number of advanced assembly methods were used.

Beginning in 1900, Eiffel devoted himself mainly to research in aerodynamics.