Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is the most famous sight in France and has become one of the most recognizable structures in the world.
Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in Paris. Including the 24 m (79 ft) antenna, the structure is 324 m (1,063 ft) high, which is equivalent to about 81 levels in a conventional building. At the time of completion in 1889, it was the world’s tallest tower – a title it retained until 1930 when New York City’s Chrysler Building was completed. The tower is now the fifth-tallest structure in France and the tallest structure in Paris.
Photo by Al Ianni
The tower was met with much criticism from the public when it was built, with many calling it an eyesore. Eiffel had a permit for the tower to stand for 20 years, meaning it would have had to be dismantled in 1909, when its ownership would revert to the City of Paris. The City had planned to tear it down but as the tower proved valuable for communication purposes, it was allowed to remain after the expiration of the permit.
Maintenance of the tower includes applying 50 to 60 tonnes of paint every seven years to protect it from rust. In order to maintain a uniform appearance to an observer on the ground, three separate colors of paint are used on the tower, with the darkest on the bottom and the lightest at the top. On occasion the colour of the paint is changed; the tower is currently painted a shade of brownish-grey.
The Eiffel Tower lights up every evening from sunset to 1am (2am during the three months of summer), coupled with the lighthouse on the Tower top that sends out its light beams during the same hours. During the first five minutes of each hour, the tower gilmmers as the lights flash on and off. This display adds a whole new dimension to this famous sight.
Eiffel Tower Visitor Information
The Eiffel Tower is located on the banks of the Seine River. Trocadero is the nearest Metro station.
The Eiffel Tower is open every day all year long,
- from 9:30am to 11:00pm, January 1 to June 12 and September 1 to December 31
- from 9:00am to midnight, June 13 to August 3
Tickets are sold from the base of the tower at varying rates depending on whether you want to take the lift all the way, take the lift to the second floor and then the stairs, or take the stairs all the way. Tickets are currently priced at 13, 8 and 4.50 euros respectively.
The tower has two restaurants: Altitude 95, on the first floor and the Jules Verne, an expensive gastronomical restaurant on the second floor.