Advertisement
Travel & Experiences

10 things you didn’t know about the Eiffel Tower

L.A. Times staff writer Christopher Reynolds tells you 10 things you didn't know about the Eiffel Tower. It suffers from shrinkage. Not counting its antenna, the iron tower is about 984 feet tall. But on cold days it’s roughly 6 inches shorter.

It suffers from shrinkage.

Not counting its antenna, the iron tower is about 984 feet tall. But on cold days it’s roughly 6 inches shorter.  (Lionel Bonaventure / AFP/Getty Images)

The paint is wet. Or at least some of it is. Twenty-five workers began brushwork in March on a top-to-bottom repainting job that’s expected to take 18 months. When done, they will have applied 60 tons of paint in three shades of brown (darkest at the bottom, lightest at the top). The tower needs repainting every seven years, and it hasn't always been brown. For a brief spell in 1899, the tower was painted ochre yellow. And from 1954 to 1961, it was brownish red, a bit like the Golden Gate Bridge.

The paint is wet.

Or at least some of it is.

Twenty-five workers began brushwork in March on a top-to-bottom repainting job that’s expected to take 18 months. When done, they will have applied 60 tons of paint in three shades of brown (darkest at the bottom, lightest at the top).

The tower needs repainting every seven years, and it hasn’t always been brown.

For a brief spell in 1899, the tower was painted ochre yellow. And from 1954 to 1961, it was brownish red, a bit like the Golden Gate Bridge.  (Francois Mori / Associated Press)

It outdraws New York's Empire State Building (pictured), big time. From 2003 to 2008, the Parisian tower's annual visitor count grew from 5.9 million to 6.9 million. (The Empire State Building's operators report more than 3.5 million visitors a year.) The Paris tower is open every day and includes two restaurants. Summer hours are 9 a.m. to 12:45 a.m.

It outdraws New York’s Empire State Building (pictured), big time.

From 2003 to 2008, the Parisian tower’s annual visitor count grew from 5.9 million to 6.9 million. (The Empire State Building’s operators report more than 3.5 million visitors a year.)

The Paris tower is open every day and includes two restaurants. Summer hours are 9 a.m. to 12:45 a.m.  (Michel Porro / Getty Images)

It's more expensive than the one in Las Vegas. Through March 26, 2010, the cost of an elevator trip to the top of the real Eiffel Tower is 13 euros for an adult. (That’s about $17.25, by current foreign exchange rates.) Cost of the Eiffel Tower Experience at Paris Las Vegas in Las Vegas: $10 for an adult. And no, you can't climb to the top of the tower in Paris. (It's 1,665 steps, or maybe 1,671, depending on who's counting.) Also, wheelchair users aren't allowed at the top.

It’s more expensive than the one in Las Vegas.

Through March 26, 2010, the cost of an elevator trip to the top of the real Eiffel Tower is 13 euros for an adult. (That’s about $17.25, by current foreign exchange rates.)

Cost of the Eiffel Tower Experience at Paris Las Vegas in Las Vegas: $10 for an adult.

And no, you can’t climb to the top of the tower in Paris. (It’s 1,665 steps, or maybe 1,671, depending on who’s counting.) Also, wheelchair users aren’t allowed at the top.  (Martin Bureau / AFP/Getty Images)

Advertisement
Even before it was done, some French big shots decided it was barbarous, stupefying and odious. In 1887, as construction began, composer Charles Gounod, writer Guy de Maupassant, painter William Bouguereau, architect Charles Garnier and scores of other sensitive French creative types signed a petition in protest, labeling the tower "useless and monstrous ... a gigantic black factory chimney, its barbarous mass overwhelming and humiliating all our monuments and belittling our works of architecture, which will just disappear before this stupefying folly ... this odious column of bolted metal." Picture dated March 31, 1889, shows the Eiffel Tower in Paris just after it was built.

Even before it was done, some French big shots decided it was barbarous, stupefying and odious.

In 1887, as construction began, composer Charles Gounod, writer Guy de Maupassant, painter William Bouguereau, architect Charles Garnier and scores of other sensitive French creative types signed a petition in protest, labeling the tower “useless and monstrous ... a gigantic black factory chimney, its barbarous mass overwhelming and humiliating all our monuments and belittling our works of architecture, which will just disappear before this stupefying folly ... this odious column of bolted metal.”

Picture dated March 31, 1889, shows the Eiffel Tower in Paris just after it was built.  (STF / AFP/Getty Images)

Way back when, Chrysler stole its thunder. But who's laughing now? The tower was the tallest building in the world until the Chrysler Building went up in New York in 1930. But look at the bottom lines. The tower has been a reliable money-maker. Despite a scandal over 15 workers embezzling ticket revenue, the Paris city agency running the tower reported 2007 operating income of 59.8 million euros and operating profit of 1.5 million euros. Chrysler? Bankrupt. One of the views from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Way back when, Chrysler stole its thunder.

But who’s laughing now?

The tower was the tallest building in the world until the Chrysler Building went up in New York in 1930.

But look at the bottom lines. The tower has been a reliable money-maker. Despite a scandal over 15 workers embezzling ticket revenue, the Paris city agency running the tower reported 2007 operating income of 59.8 million euros and operating profit of 1.5 million euros.

Chrysler? Bankrupt.

One of the views from the top of the Eiffel Tower.  (Jacques Demarthon / AFP/Getty Images)

Travel & Experiences

More From the Los Angeles Times

Advertisement