The famous Eiffel Tower in Paris closed its doors to the public today, Wednesday, due to a strike by the French union CGT. The employees who were dissatisfied with the management of the tower chose this strategic appointment: the 100th anniversary of Gustave Eiffel’s deaththe visionary engineer and creator of the iconic structure.
The CGT union argues that the strike was due to management “Too ambitious and not sustainable” the operating company SETE and accused it of underestimating both the annual number of visitors and the costs of maintenance and renovation.
SETE, operator of the Eiffel Tower, apologized for the inconvenience caused, pointing out that only some of the staff took part in the strike and that the esplanade around the building remained open. Visitors with e-tickets were asked to check their email for current information.
Despite the strike, SETE announced that the top floor of the Eiffel Tower will be closed next month for an annual renovation lasting several weeks. However, this did not deter those who want to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the monument and its creator.
As a sign of resistance and celebration, a light and sound concert from the first floor of the tower will be broadcast on television and social networks in honor of Gustave Eiffel. French President Emmanuel Macron He also paid tribute to the engineer on Twitter: “100 years have passed since Gustave Eiffel left us. But his legacy to the world is still very much alive!”
Gustave Eiffel died on December 27, 1923 at the age of 91. Although he was also known for building bridges and contributing to the Statue of Liberty, his masterpiece, the Eiffel Tower, remains one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions. Last year alone there were 5.85 million visitors, 7% of whom came from Great Britain.