Why Go to Expense to Save the Eiffel Tower?

Eiffel Tower, occupation periods, two world wars and even survived the possibility of demolition in 1903. But its current biggest enemy is rust.

He’s been fighting the wind and rain of Paris for 135 years, so what? Could he be losing this time?

The Eiffel Tower was designed to last only 20 years.

The Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World’s Fair planned to survive for only 20 years It was a temporary monument. 135 years later, it still stands as one of the world’s most beloved and iconic buildings, but the tower is starting to show its age.

The last restoration effort was postponed due to the pandemic and now the tower will be renovated for the 2024 Paris Olympics. $64 million It was in the process of repainting.

However, some experts say that this dyeing is only It’s a cosmetic touch and they state that the tower has not resolved its rusting condition.

Gustave Eiffel predicted that the tower would encounter a rusting problem and made plans to deal with it.

First he had to convince the Parisians that the tower should not be demolished. Construction began in 1887 and It was completed in a short time of 22 months. All parts were produced in Eiffel’s factories and assembled on the Champ de Mars. When the tower was completed, the French were very critical of it.

A number of reports in recent years have the structure is full of cracks and rust showed. Due to the pandemic and high lead levels in old paint, only 5% of the tower is currently being treated.

This $64 million repaint will worsen the defects of the existing paint. may cause further corrosion. The tower attracts approximately 7 million visitors annually and generates revenue of 100 million euros. However, operating costs can exceed revenue.

The tower is made of wrought iron, which can theoretically last forever as long as it is maintained.

But if this repainting is just a temporary solution, future Parisians integrity of the tower protect will fall.

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