Iconic buildings that were initially hated Eiffel Tower, Paris The Eiffel Tower is beloved of today's Parisians, but the City of Light's residents weren't always so convinced of its charms. When work on the tower began, a group of important artistic types, including the novelist Guy de Maupassant, wrote a letter denouncing the "useless and monstrous" structure to the minister of public works, claiming its "hateful shadow" would overwhelm the capital's finer monuments. After opening, the tower proved to be a hit, but de Maupassant never warmed to it - supposedly, he liked to eat his meals in the restaurant at the tower's base, as it was the only place where he didn't have to look at it. Picture: Reuters