Gustave Eiffel
Builder of Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty framework, revolutionizing iron and steel construction.
Most quoted
"Is it not true that the very conditions which make for the strength of a structure are often those which give it beauty?"
— from Speech, 1889
"The Eiffel Tower is not merely a structure of iron; it is a testament to human ambition piercing the sky."
— from Speech, 1889
"There is an attraction in the colossal, a charm in the gigantic, that is not found in the small."
— from Speech, 1889
All quotes by Gustave Eiffel (102)
I ought to be jealous of the Tower. It is much more famous than I am.
The first principle of architecture is to build well. The second is to build beautifully.
Is it not true that the very conditions which make for the strength of a structure are often those which give it beauty?
There is an attraction in the colossal, a charm in the gigantic, that is not found in the small.
The Tower will be a proof of the progress of industry and science in the 19th century.
I believe that the Tower will have its own beauty.
The Tower is not merely an engineering feat; it is also a work of art.
My ambition was to make a monument to modern science, and to the glory of French industry.
The Tower is a symbol of the power of the human spirit.
I am convinced that the Tower will be admired for its elegance and its grandeur.
The wind is the most formidable enemy of high structures.
The Tower is a demonstration of the possibilities of iron construction.
The Tower will be a beacon of progress for all nations.
The Tower is a triumph of engineering and a testament to human ingenuity.
I have always believed that the beautiful is useful, and the useful is beautiful.
The Tower is a monument to the spirit of innovation.
The Tower is a symbol of France's industrial power.
The Tower is a work of art that combines strength and grace.
The Tower is a challenge to the imagination.
The Tower is a symbol of hope and progress.
Contemporaries of Gustave Eiffel
Other Architectures born within 50 years of Gustave Eiffel (1832–1923).