Gustave Eiffel

Profession: Engineer and Architect

Nationality:

Biography: Alexandre Gustave Eiffel was a French civil engineer known for the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty's internal structure. Graduating from École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, his work on French railways and bridges like the Garabit Viaduct established his reputation. Post-retirement, Eiffel researched meteorology and aerodynamics, contributing significantly to both fields.

Eiffel was the first child of Catherine-Mélanie and Alexandre Bonickhausen dit Eiffel. His family had German origins and adopted the name Eiffel after relocating to Paris. His mother managed a charcoal business, later evolving into coal distribution, which Eiffel's father joined.

As a child, Eiffel lived with his grandmother but maintained a close relationship with his mother. Though initially not scholarly, he began to take education seriously in his later school years, influenced by literature and history teachers.

Eiffel's education included mentorship by his uncle, Jean-Baptiste Mollerat, and chemist Michel Perret. He studied at the Collège Sainte-Barbe in Paris, later graduating from École Centrale des Arts et Manufactures, specializing in chemistry.

His first job was with railway engineer Charles Nepveu. After Nepveu's bankruptcy, Eiffel's design of a railway bridge earned him a role at Compagnie Belge, eventually leading to his management of the Bordeaux bridge project.

In 1865, Eiffel became an independent consulting engineer. He was involved in building railway stations and overseeing locomotive construction for Egypt. His work at the Exposition Universelle (1867) saw collaboration with Henri Treca on metal properties research. Eiffel's own company, founded in 1866, took on international work, including the Budapest Nyugati railway station and Maria Pia Bridge in Portugal.

His company, renamed Eiffel et Cie after a partnership with Théophile Seyrig, built the Garabit viaduct. Eiffel also advanced prefabricated bridge designs, and in 1881, collaborated with Auguste Bartholdi on the structural design for the Statue of Liberty. His work on the Nice Observatory's dome in 1886 reflected his talent for engineering.

The Eiffel Tower, designed for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, became his most famous project. The innovative iron structure initially faced skepticism but became an icon of Paris. A legal and financial scandal related to the Panama Canal in 1887 tainted Eiffel's reputation, but he was cleared on appeal.

Eiffel refocused his career on scientific pursuits in aerodynamics and meteorology. By 1913, his contributions had earned him the Samuel P. Langley Medal from the Smithsonian Institution.

Born: December 15, 1832
Birthplace: Dijon, France
Star Sign: Sagittarius

Died: December 27, 1923 (aged 91)