The Eiffel Tower in Paris' Champ de Mars is one of the most well-known and loved tourist attractions in France. The majestic tower, built between 1887 and 1889 and thrown open to the public on March 31, 1889, is something everyone wants to see at least once in a lifetime.
However, thanks to its beauty and popularity, Eiffel Tower also runs the risk of a terror attack, an issue the city of Paris and France in general, have been witnessing in the last few years. In view of this, the French government has decided to boost the security of the monument and build bulletproof glass walls around it.
Work on this change started on Monday, September 18, and the project is likely to take about nine months' time and cost the country about €30 million, Paris' tourism chief Jean-Francois Martins told AFP. The Eiffel Tower already has a permanent police patrol. This includes about 7,000 troops under an anti-terrorism operation called Sentinelle, and these troops are often seen patrolling the streets in the area and guarding other tourist attractions. The troops were put to work after the infamous Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015.
Now, the monument is set to get added security after the city councilors unanimously voted in favour of building these glass walls for safety against a "particularly high terrorist threat."
However, in case you are planning a trip to the most-visited monument, the construction work will not play spoilsport and you will still be able to walk up to the tower after going through the usual security procedure. Martins said the renovations "will not disrupt visitors' arrival in any way."
Meanwhile, the Eiffel Tower is gearing up for a couple of renovations in the next few years. The year 2018 will see the monument being repainted and this is a two-year long project, the elevators of the wrought-iron tower will also be revamped which will take a longer time. The Eiffel Tower will also get a new reception area, the construction of which will start in 2021 and last for another two years.
However, Martins said that the plans to construct an underground shopping gallery have been cancelled.
France has witnessed quite a few terror attacks since 2015 starting with the mass shooting at the offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine. The same year, Paris witnessed the deadliest terror attack that involved shootings, hostage-taking, and suicide bombings. Music venues, stadium, bars and restaurants were targeted that claimed 130 lives and injured 368.
The year 2016 witnessed the Nice attack when a 19-tonne cargo truck drove into the crowds celebrating Bastille Day. The attack left 86 dead and 434 injured. Since then there have been several shooting and stabbing attacks in various parts of the country.
As Paris is set to host the 2024 Olympic Games, the government has been taking several initiatives to secure the city.
