Parc du Champ de Mars, 75007 Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower is one of the world's truly great landmarks. That makes it all the more surprising to learn that it was originally put up in 1889 as a temporary structure for the Exposition Universelle fair. At that time, its 324 metres made it the world's highest structure. Its creator Gustave Eiffel said of it “To a certain extent, the tower was formed by the wind itself.” Nowadays, it welcomes around 6.5 million visitors per year. A succession of lifts can whisk visitors up to any of the four levels of the tower for stunning views of Paris.