Explore one of the world’s most recognisable landmarks with this engaging Eiffel Tower reading comprehension resource.

Students will learn about the Eiffel Tower in Paris and discover how this extraordinary iron structure became one of the most famous symbols of France.

The reading passages explain why the Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris, held during the 100th anniversary year of the French Revolution. Students will learn how the project was developed by an engineering team working for Gustave Eiffel and completed between 1887 and 1889.

The resource explores the engineering behind the tower, including its four huge iron legs, open lattice design and thousands of carefully prepared metal parts. Students will discover that more than 18,000 iron parts were joined together with about 2.5 million rivets.

Students will also learn that the Eiffel Tower became the tallest structure in the world when it opened in 1889 and held the record until 1931.

The passages explain how the tower’s role changed over time. Although it was originally expected to stand for a limited period, scientific experiments and radio communication helped demonstrate its usefulness. Later radio and television antennas increased its height, and today the Eiffel Tower measures about 330 metres.

Students will also discover how visitors can travel to observation levels for views across Paris and why a structure that was once criticised eventually became one of the world’s most recognisable landmarks.

The included comprehension questions encourage students to identify key information, recall historical facts, understand vocabulary and explain how engineering helped make such a tall iron structure possible.

What’s included:

• Eiffel Tower reading passages
• Landmark facts and history
• Location in Paris, France
• 1889 World’s Fair
• Gustave Eiffel and his engineering team
• Construction from 1887 to 1889
• Iron lattice structure
• More than 18,000 metal parts
• About 2.5 million rivets
• Four supporting legs
• World’s tallest structure record
• Current height of about 330 metres
• Radio and television history
• Observation levels
• Engineering vocabulary
• Reading comprehension questions
• Written response activities
• Print-and-go worksheets

Perfect for geography lessons, famous landmarks, France studies, Paris geography, architecture, engineering, world fairs, technology history, reading comprehension, STEM learning, homeschool learning, literacy centres and independent work.

Students can build reading comprehension, vocabulary and STEM understanding while discovering how engineering, history and innovation transformed the Eiffel Tower into a lasting symbol of Paris.

File type: Printable PDF
Preparation: Print and use