On December 25, 2025, a 17-year-old teenager from Illinois, United States, broke the Guinness World Record by constructing a replica of the Eiffel Tower using over 5 meters of toothpicks made for teenagers. According to reports from Associated United International Agency on December 24, the boy, named Eric Klabel, resides in Naperville, Illinois. Inspired by his father, who is a civil engineer, he has had a fascination with architecture since childhood.
Eric Klabel told WGN TV, “I loved building things with popsicle sticks when I was young.” In 2021, at the age of 12, he built a tower that stood at 20.2 feet (6.157 meters), setting a new Guinness World Record for the tallest popsicle stick structure and marking his first world record achievement.
He told Guinness World Records at the time, “To build this tower, I had to repeatedly build identical three-foot vertical structures, which was repetitive, but watching it grow higher was still fun.” Feeling immense pride and gratitude for being a world record holder, he said, “What I’m most proud of about achieving this record is that I’m able to be known for something I love.”
Although this world record was surpassed in 2024 in Canada by a group of students who constructed a 100.16 feet (30.53 meters) tall tower using popsicle sticks, Eric Klabel broke another world record in October this year by building a tall tower with toothpicks.
According to Guinness World Records, Eric Klabel broke the record for the tallest toothpick structure by constructing a 17.32 feet (5.28 meters) replica of the Eiffel Tower. He expressed his hope to inspire other children interested in engineering or STEM careers through his accomplishments.
While Eric Klabel challenged this world record in October, it was only recently certified, as official certification typically takes several months. Under his father’s guidance, he spent nearly 100 hours building this replica of the Eiffel Tower in Naperville, surpassing the previous record of 16.7 feet (5.1 meters). He used over 20,000 toothpicks and 400 glue sticks for the construction.
The Eiffel Tower, built-in 1889, is a famous landmark and tourist attraction in Paris, France. Originally standing at 300 meters, it has been “growing taller” over the years due to the installation of antennas and now stands at a height of 330 meters.