The official site actually has a page dedicated to the controversy surrounding the tower at its inception:

http://www.toureiffel.paris/en/everything-about-the-tower/themed-files/71.html

There is an excerpt on the page from "Protest against the Tower of Monsieur Eiffel", an open letter from local artists and writers.

We come, we writers, painters, sculptors, architects, lovers of the beauty of Paris which was until now intact, to protest with all our strength and all our indignation, in the name of the underestimated taste of the French, in the name of French art and history under threat, against the erection in the very heart of our capital, of the useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower which popular ill-feeling, so often an arbiter of good sense and justice, has already christened the Tower of Babel. (...) Is the City of Paris any longer to associate itself with the baroque and mercantile fancies of a builder of machines, thereby making itself irreparably ugly and bringing dishonour?

Eiffel Tower was build for Exposition 1889 (100 years after French Revolution). Many people disliked the project and thought it would have collapsed during building (too high, too fragile !).

It was supposed to be deconstructed on 1909. (Mr Eiffel Eiffel had a permit for 20 years.) When city of Paris got then ownership, Eiffel Tower revealed convenient for communication purpose (radio).

Many artist protested, as it was "ugly". But, time passing, the Tower became a parisian symbol. And increasing tourism industry gave Eiffel tower a new purpose (Not anymore just a french enginery artefact).