It was for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, the date that marked the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, that a great competition was launched in 1886.The first digging work started on the 26th January 1887. On the 31st March 1889, the Tower had been finished in record time – 2 years, 2 months and 5 days – and was established as a veritable technical feat.