The Eiffel Tower took 2 years, 2 months, and 5 days to build. Construction began on January 28, 1887, and was completed on March 31, 1889. The project involved about 300 workers assembling 18,000 metal parts with precise engineering and riveting techniques. It was built as a centerpiece for the 1889 Paris World Fair and took remarkable speed and technical precision given the period's technology.