In the 1890s, London came incredibly close to having its very own Eiffel Tower- a structure even taller than the Shard!

Known as Watkin’s Tower or Watkin’s Folly, this ambitious project was the brainchild of railway magnate Sir Edward Watkin. Set to soar 1,175 feet above Wembley Park, this unfinished landmark was meant to crown a new pleasure park just 12 minutes by train from Baker Street.

In this video, we explore the fascinating history of this forgotten landmark, the eccentric designs submitted to a competition (including ones featuring spiral walkways, steam trains, and even parachutes!) and why the tower never came to be…

📚 View the original design catalogue here: https://archive.org/details/descripti…

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