exploration Archives - Spartan and the Green Egg

Located in the heart of Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower is one of the most famous monuments in history. But why was it built? Do you know how high it is? What does it weigh? Learn the answers to these questions, and more below. Begin your adventure with the Eiffel Tower NOW!

Fun Facts About the Eiffel Tower

Did you know that almost 7 million people visit the Eiffel Tower each year? That’s a lot of people. So, what makes the Eiffel Tower such an amazing place to visit? The tower was first built because there was a World’s Fair that was coming to Paris. It took more than two years to build. At first, most people who saw it didn’t like it because it was so different from all other buildings in the country. In fact, after the fair they almost tore it down! Today, people think differently and it is one of the world’s most amazing structures ever to be built. It takes over 500 people to keep it working and running properly.

The Eiffel Tower is 324 meters tall (that’s 1063 feet), and it weighs 10 tons. That’s as much as 5 cars stacked up, or two elephants. There are elevators in the tower to take you to the top for an amazing view of the city of Paris, but if you are adventurous, you can climb the 1,665 steps to the top. You WILL be out of breath.

The Amazing Shrinking Eiffel Tower

Did you know that the Eiffel Tower doesn’t stay the same size the year ‘round? When the weather gets cold in Paris, France, the Eiffel Tower, made of nearly 7000 tons of iron, can shrink almost six inches! The tower is a beautiful sight to see in the daytime, but at night nearly 20,000 light bulbs make the structure light up the night sky so much that it can be seen from space.

Painting the Eiffel Tower

With so much surface, guess how much paint is needed to paint the Eiffel Tower every seven years. 60 tons of paint are needed to keep the structure from rusting. That’s enough paint to fill almost two swimming pools that are four feet deep. Most don’t know this, but the Eiffel Tower is actually painted in three different shades of paint. The paint is lighter at the top, medium color in the middle, and the darkest at its base. This is to make it easier to see against the sky in Paris.

The Eiffel Tower Talks

If the Eiffel Tower could talk, the ‘Iron Lady’ would tell you about all of the history that she’s seen. It wasn’t all fun and games, either. In World War I she operated as a radiograph tower overhearing enemy radio messages. After serving an important role in many wars, the Eiffel Tower had a hand in the discovery of cosmic rays as scientist, Theodor Wulf experimented from the top of the tower. Later, the Eiffel Tower became a movie star when she was featured in the film, Slumbering Paris in 1923. Today, the Eiffel Tower has been featured in millions of movies, television shows, paintings, photographs, and sketches. Last, but not least, thousands have proposed marriage to someone at the top of this famous landmark in the city of lights.

Learn more about the Eiffel Tower and other important monuments around the world with the Spartan And The Green Egg Explorer Sticker Starter Kit!

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Ever wonder what the Taj Mahal is, or why it’s so important to India? Well, there’s a deeper, more powerful story behind it than you may realize, especially if you’re around Spartan’s age! So let’s look at how we can travel there together through this amazing story of love…

So let’s look at how we can travel there together through this amazing story of love…

The Taj Mahal is located in Agra, in India, and is considered worldwide to be one of the seven wonders of the world. Made of white marble, this large castle-like structure on the Yamuna river. For all its beauty, however, it was built out of sorrow and grief by the Shaah Jahan after the death of his wife. Find out why this grand building is called the ‘crown of palaces’.

Fun Facts about the Taj Mahal
The all white structure took more than 20 years to finish and is said to change colors throughout the day, depending on how the light strikes it. More than 20,000 people helped to build it in 1632 and included over 1,000 elephants. The center dome is very high, nearly 240 feet (73 m), and has four smaller domes that surround it. The building is called a mausoleum, which is a building that is dedicated to the dead and often houses the remains of those who have died.

Walls Worth A Million
So beloved was the Shah’s wife that he took precious gemstones and had them built into the walls around the building. The builders of the Taj Mahal thought about the future of the structure and built the smaller domes that surround the larger one so that in the event of an earthquake that they would fall away from the main dome, thus protecting it from damage.

The Taj Mahal’s Reflecting Pool and Secret Garden
The Taj Mahal is more than just a building. There are vast acres of gardens and pools surrounding it. One of these pools is called the reflecting pool, which is very shallow and reflects the image of the Taj Mahal. The Shah’s wife, Mumtaz Maha, is not actually buried in the structure at all, but was buried in the lush gardens, which he was sure she would have loved. This building was built so that all of those who would visit over the centuries would be reminded of his love for his wife.

The Building that Love Built
Shah Jahan first met Mumtaz when they were only 14 and 15 years old. Because they were so young they were made to wait five years before they were allowed to be married. Once they were married they had many children. Mumtaz Mahal died giving birth to their 14th child and Shah Jahan was so sad that he ordered his court to be sad with him for two more years. Twelve years after the building was completed, Shah Jahan died, too. He was buried next to his wife. Now, everyone who visits can see the beauty of the buildings, walk through the lovely gardens and see the building that was built with love.

Want to learn more about other places in the world with powerful stories? Check out the Spartan And The Gren Egg Explorer Pin Set to find more places you can travel to!

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What You Didn’t Know About The Eiffel Tower

What In The World Is The Taj Mahal?