Preparing for the Impossible

As 1886 ended, Eiffel and his team finalized preparations for construction. The Levallois-Perret workshop expanded to accommodate the massive production needs. New furnaces were installed, testing equipment upgraded, and quality control procedures established that were revolutionary for the time.

Each of the 18,038 metallic parts would be designed and calculated to the nearest millimeter. Over 2.5 million rivets would join them. Every piece was traced on detailed drawings, manufactured to exacting specifications, and pre-assembled in the workshop before being sent to the site.

The logistics alone were staggering. Special wagons were built to transport the largest pieces. Delivery schedules were coordinated to avoid overwhelming the construction site. Storage areas were planned to protect materials from weather. Nothing on this scale had been attempted before.