The Eiffel Tower was sold, not once, but twice and the man responsible is Victor Lustig, a con artist.
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His name probably doesn't speak to you, and yet Victor Lustig was one of the greatest crooks of his time. His biggest scam? Having successfully sold the Eiffel Tower to a scrap dealer. At what price ?
He died on March 11, 1947, after contracting pneumonia. His death certificate labelled him, ironically, as an apprentice salesman. Victor Lustig was a master of deception and a true con artist, who managed to sell the Eiffel Tower twice and swindle countless others out of their money.
City of Paris ownershipToday, the City of Paris owns the Tower and has entrusted its management to a development company (SETE: Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel) of which it owns 99% of the capital. Bertrand Lemoine is an architect, engineer and historian.
Eiffel Tower Day 2023: Every year on March 31, Eiffel Tower Day is observed to honour the tower's inaugural. On this day in 1889, the skyscraper was revealed to the public. And even after 134 years, this monument continues to charm thousands of tourists each day.
But, what if we tell you that there are not one but two Eiffel Towers in Paris currently? Yes, you read that right! A 104-foot replica of the original Eiffel Tower, which looks as real as the original, has been erected near the original tower on the Champ de Mars.
The Eiffel Tower also sells stairs + lift ticket which will allow you to take the stairs until the second floor, then the lift to the top of the Tower. Such tickets are mainly sold at the ticket offices at the Tower at the individual rate and for use immediately.
The third and final floor, accessible only by lift, welcomes visitors at an altitude of 276 metres. Again, telescopes are available to appreciate the stunning views of Paris. On this floor, don't miss the reconstitution of the office of Gustave Eiffel.
In 1944, Hitler ordered the military governor of Paris to destroy the tower, he refused. In addition, during the German occupation, the tower was closed to the public and Nazis attempted to attach a large swastika to the top, but it blew away.
The Eiffel Tower's lighting and sparkling lights are protected by copyright, so professional use of images of the Eiffel Tower at night requires prior authorization and may be subject to a fee.
The paint wears off with time and rain, so it has to be redone to guarantee continued protection. For this reason, the Tower has been repainted on average every seven years, according to a cycle laid out by Gustave Eiffel himself.
The Eiffel Tower is made of puddle iron, a material that could last almost forever if it is repainted regularly. However, several factors pose a threat, including rust, pollution inherent to its location in a big city, bird droppings and the weather.
The Eiffel Tower's ironwork has been repainted 19 times and a maintenance painting cycle takes 18 months at a cost of €4 million13. The repainting costs are estimated to be ~14% of the current construction cost of the tower.
Since 2011, the annual turnover generated by the sales of admissions for the Eiffel Tower in Paris has increased gradually. In 2019, the turnover related to ticket sales to access to the most famous monument in Paris amounted to approximately 87 million euros, compared to 53.03 million in 2012.
Construction of the Eiffel Tower cost 7,799,401.31 French gold francs in 1889, or about $1.5 million. The Eiffel Tower is 1,063 feet (324 meters) tall, including the antenna at the top. Without the antenna, it is 984 feet (300 m).
Financing of the Eiffel Tower: the Franco-Egyptian Bank enters the scene. In 1888, the cost of building the Eiffel Tower was estimated at 6.5 million francs, with public authorities only being able to cover 1.5 million francs of this cost. Eiffel therefore approached banks to raise the additional 5 million francs.