On the left is a drawing of the push and pull forces ... "Model equations for the Eiffel Tower profile: historical perspective and new results." Comptes Rendus Mecanique332.7 (2004): 571-584.

An assistant of Eiffel's did a rough sketch—Eiffel was terrible at drawing. The sketch showed a tower that looked pretty much like a pylon on a railway viaduct, or maybe an oil derrick.

A majestic presence, towering over Paris for more than 130 years, the Eiffel Tower is an iconic symbol of nineteenth century progress and grandeur. Drawing on three decades of civil engineering ...