Eiffel Tower
Pieces
Difficulty
Time
Age from
Shared by
Build the Eiffel Tower step by step
Step 1: start the legs
Lay four planks flat in a cross, one along each diagonal, their ends almost touching in the middle. Build three more rows, moving each Kapla half a centimetre towards the centre.
💡 Astuce : this small step back at every row draws the staircase of the legs.
Step 2: raise the legs
Carry on with the staircase: seven more rows, still moving each plank towards the centre. Each leg now has eleven planks.
Step 3: lay the belt
Stand four Kapla on edge in a square, from the end of one leg to the next. This is the belt that ties the four legs together.
Step 4: stand up the posts
In the middle of each leg, stand one plank upright, its wide faces turned towards the centre and outwards. These are the first-floor posts.
Step 5: brace the posts
At each end of the leg, lean one plank against the top of the post, one on each side. These leaning Kapla are the slopes.
Step 6: link the posts
Lay one plank flat across two neighbouring posts, then another across the two opposite posts.
Step 7: lay the floor
Lay two Kapla flat across the edges of the first two, then slide three planks between them. This is the first floor.
Step 8: stand up the cross
In the middle of the floor, stand five planks pressed together, and add one standing plank on each side. Seen from above, it makes a cross.
Step 9: fill the corners
In each corner of the cross, stand two Kapla pressed together, on the diagonal. They join two arms of the cross.
Step 10: lay the first slopes
Lean one plank against each corner pair, its foot at the corner of the floor. This starts the spire, the tip of the tower.
Step 11: turn the cross
On top of the cross, build the same cross of seven standing planks again, but turned onto the diagonal.
Step 12: extend the slopes
Lean one Kapla against each arm of the new cross, its foot on the end of the slope below.
💡 Astuce : line each slope up with the one below: the spire should form a single line.
Step 13: raise the top
On the cross, stand three planks pressed together, still on the diagonal.
Step 14: close the spire
Lean the last four slopes against this block, each one on the end of the slope below.
Step 15: plant the tip
Stand one last plank upright at the very top. Your Eiffel Tower is finished!
Frequently asked questions
This model takes 105 Kapla, the contents of the Eiffel Tower box: 44 for the legs, 23 for the belt, the first floor and its deck, and 38 for the spire.
Each slope leans against a standing plank, and the two slopes of a post hold each other up. Higher up, each slope rests its foot on the end of the one below.
From 10 years old. The tricky part is laying the slopes of the spire: an adult can hold the core the first time.
More Kapla models and building ideas!
Castle
A Kapla castle with its double wall, its wall walk, 4 towers with terraces and a keep under its stepped roof. A medium-difficulty model from 7 years old, which takes a lot of planks: 176 in all.
Scales (2D)
A set of scales drawn flat on the table, with its beam and its 2 triangular pans. A simple, symmetrical model to build, which introduces children to the idea of weight!
Pinwheel hourglass
Build a Kapla hourglass, with its narrow waist in the middle! Each floor is a pinwheel square that steps in a tiny bit, then out again up to its starting width. This model takes precision but few planks: 76 in all. It can be built from age 6.
Comments
No comments yet. Start the conversation!