Eiffel Tower in popular culture a symbol of the real or threatened destruction of the city, or the world. In others, the tower is used as an embodiment of Paris, the symbol of the city, to set the scene for a film or other work centered on the city. In yet others, as a symbol of the city in a more peripheral way. Other uses, to establish the tower simply as a well known visual element. Eiffel Tower in popular culture The Eiffel Tower has appeared frequently in works of fiction because of its iconic nature. Movie critic Roger Ebert has noted in his online
Eiffel Tower of his company, and granted him 1.5 million francs toward the construction costs: less than a quarter of the estimated 6.5 million francs. Eiffel was to receive all income from the commercial exploitation of the tower during the exhibition and for the next 20 years. He later established a separate company to manage the tower, putting up half the necessary capital himself. The proposed tower had been a subject of controversy, drawing criticism from those who did not believe it was feasible and those who objected on artistic grounds. These objections were an expression of a long-standing debate in France