However, the wrought-iron landmark will only receive a cosmetic paint job ahead of the 2024 Olympics in the capital, according to insider reports cited by French magazine Marianne. The 324-meter (1,064-foot) tower is among the most visited tourist sites in the world, welcoming approximately six million visitors each year. It was built by Gustave Eiffel in the late 19th century. However, confidential expert reports cited by Marianne suggest that it is in poor condition and has rust. “It’s simple, if Gustave Eiffel visited the place he would have a heart attack,” an unnamed manager of the tower told the magazine.
Facts about the Eiffel Tower you probably didn’t know
The tower was designed as the centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris and was intended to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution, as well as to showcase France’s industrial might.
It took two years to build, using 10,100 tonnes of iron, assembled from 18,000 parts and held together by 2.5 million rivets.
It was meant to be demolished after 20 years, but equipped with a radio antenna and wireless telegraph transmitter, the French government decided it was too useful to be torn down.
During World War II, Hitler reportedly wanted the tower split, but it clearly survived and French resistance fighters gave a small blow for freedom by cutting the elevator cables, forcing occupation soldiers to climb all 1,665 steps to carry Nazi flag From above.
The tower is currently undergoing a £60m (£51.7m) repaint in preparation for the 2024 Olympics. It is the 20th time it has been repainted.
About 30% of the tower was supposed to be stripped and then two new coats applied, but delays caused by the COVID pandemic and the presence of lead in the old paint mean only 5% will be treated, Marianne said.
The company that oversees the tower, Societe d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), is reluctant to close it for any length of time because of the lost tourism revenue, the magazine added.
