France's Eiffel Tower had to close due to a strike by employees on December 27, the 100th anniversary of the death of its creator - Gustave Eiffel.
The one-day strike was called by the French General Confederation of Labour (CGT) to protest the current management of the tower. The CGT accused the operator of operating an "overly ambitious" business model that would lead to "unsustainable development". The tower's management representative said the Eiffel Tower is scheduled to reopen today.
Eiffel Tower announced to be closed on December 27. Video: Wion
As one of the most visited sites in the world, the Eiffel Tower is usually open year-round, although it is occasionally affected by strikes. In 2022, the tower welcomed nearly 5.9 million visitors, a record number since the pandemic. In 2019, the tower welcomed more than 6 million visitors. This year, the tower welcomes about 20,000 visitors a day.
Many tourists expressed disappointment when they saw a large iron sign placed in front of the tower announcing the closure in multiple languages, along with an apology "for this inconvenience". Visitors can still access the glass-enclosed promenade below the tower, but cannot go up to visit.
The Fontaine family said the closure was a "huge blow" to them. "We took our children to Paris for the first time and visiting the Eiffel Tower was the first thing on the agenda. We were very disappointed when the tower closed," said tourist Emma Fontaine. Dutch tourist Istvan Harman said he "accepted" the news and "had to go somewhere else to visit."
The Eiffel Tower, a symbol of France, is 324 m high and is a "must-check-in" place for most first-time visitors to Paris. The structure was designed by architect Gustave Eiffel and his colleagues and built between 1887 and 1889, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. In 2022, the Eiffel Tower was warned of being "in a state of serious deterioration" when most of the tower was rusted and needed complete repair. However, the tower has only been repainted at a cost of 60 million euros to serve the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Anh Minh (According to Guardian )
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