Eiffel Tower Named Europe's Most Expensive Monument
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk
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The Eiffel Tower has been named as the most valuable monument of Europe in a new survey.
It is difficult to believe now that the Eiffel Tower was originally built to last for only two decades. But thankfully it stayed on and became a permanent fixture on the Parisian landscape.
The iconic 324-metre high structure has been named as the most valuable monument in Europe worth a staggering US$ 545 billion, according to a new study. Research commissioned by Italy's Monza and Brianza Chamber of Commerce considered monuments' image, branding and aesthetic qualities to determine a monetary value.
Built in 1889 as the entrance arch to the World Trade Fair, the Eiffel Tower is the most visited paid for tourist attraction in the world which last year saw 7.1 million people climb to one of its three viewing platforms. A whopping 200 million visitors have now visited the landmark since it opened and the tower is still the tenth tallest lattice style building on the planet.
Construction of the tower had been the subject of some controversy; attracting criticism from both those who doubted it was feasible and those were against the idea on artistic grounds. Their objections were a continuation of the longstanding debate about the relationship between architecture and engineering. Part of the original design rules were that it could be easily demolished but as the tower proved valuable for communication purposes, it was allowed to remain after the permit granted by the city expired.
Eiffel Tower's value is five times more than its nearest rival the Coliseum in Rome, which is valued at US$ 114 billion. The gladiatorial Amphitheatre which was completed in 80AD draws about 4 million tourists a year to its crumbling interior. On the third place is the Sagrada Familia. Although it is still not finished Gaudi's famous cathedral in Barcelona is worth US$ 112 billion and is the continent's third most valuable monument.
The UK's most valuable monument is deemed to be the 1,000-year-old Tower of London, which is worth an estimated US$ 88.7 billion to the British economy. In excess of 2 million visitors enter the tower, which is now looked after by the Historic Royal Palaces charity, every year.
Other famous European landmarks on the list included the Duomo cathedral in Milan worth US$ 102.9 billion, Madrid's Prado Museum worth US$ 72.8 billion and Britain's Stonehenge worth US$ 13 billion.
Stonehenge in Wiltshire dates from prehistoric times Wiltshire and is one of the most famous sites in the world. Composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks its attraction lies not just in its age, but also the mystery that surrounds its construction - before the age of mechanical lifting equipment. It is at the center of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds.
The gothic Duomo cathedral in Milan took nearly six centuries to complete and is the fourth largest cathedral in the world and the largest in Italy.
The survey also put a price of US$ 101.4 billion on the White House in Washington DC. Home to the President of the United States the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aqua sandstone in the neoclassical style. It has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams.
It is difficult to believe now that the Eiffel Tower was originally built to last for only two decades. But thankfully it stayed on and became a permanent fixture on the Parisian landscape.
The iconic 324-metre high structure has been named as the most valuable monument in Europe worth a staggering US$ 545 billion, according to a new study. Research commissioned by Italy's Monza and Brianza Chamber of Commerce considered monuments' image, branding and aesthetic qualities to determine a monetary value.
Built in 1889 as the entrance arch to the World Trade Fair, the Eiffel Tower is the most visited paid for tourist attraction in the world which last year saw 7.1 million people climb to one of its three viewing platforms. A whopping 200 million visitors have now visited the landmark since it opened and the tower is still the tenth tallest lattice style building on the planet.
Construction of the tower had been the subject of some controversy; attracting criticism from both those who doubted it was feasible and those were against the idea on artistic grounds. Their objections were a continuation of the longstanding debate about the relationship between architecture and engineering. Part of the original design rules were that it could be easily demolished but as the tower proved valuable for communication purposes, it was allowed to remain after the permit granted by the city expired.
Eiffel Tower's value is five times more than its nearest rival the Coliseum in Rome, which is valued at US$ 114 billion. The gladiatorial Amphitheatre which was completed in 80AD draws about 4 million tourists a year to its crumbling interior. On the third place is the Sagrada Familia. Although it is still not finished Gaudi's famous cathedral in Barcelona is worth US$ 112 billion and is the continent's third most valuable monument.
The UK's most valuable monument is deemed to be the 1,000-year-old Tower of London, which is worth an estimated US$ 88.7 billion to the British economy. In excess of 2 million visitors enter the tower, which is now looked after by the Historic Royal Palaces charity, every year.
Other famous European landmarks on the list included the Duomo cathedral in Milan worth US$ 102.9 billion, Madrid's Prado Museum worth US$ 72.8 billion and Britain's Stonehenge worth US$ 13 billion.
Stonehenge in Wiltshire dates from prehistoric times Wiltshire and is one of the most famous sites in the world. Composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks its attraction lies not just in its age, but also the mystery that surrounds its construction - before the age of mechanical lifting equipment. It is at the center of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds.
The gothic Duomo cathedral in Milan took nearly six centuries to complete and is the fourth largest cathedral in the world and the largest in Italy.
The survey also put a price of US$ 101.4 billion on the White House in Washington DC. Home to the President of the United States the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aqua sandstone in the neoclassical style. It has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams.
