Who sold the Eiffel Tower for scrap metal?

But in the 1920s and '30s, one scam artist was so brazen he actually sold Paris' beloved Eiffel Tower — not once, but twice. He stole money from a notorious gangster and made lawmen snatch out their hair in frustration. That's the remarkable legacy of “Count” Victor Lustig, the con man's con man.



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7. Hitler ordered the demolition of the Tower. In 1944, when Hitler was about to lose Paris to the Allied forces, he ordered the whole city to be demolished, including the Tower. Thankfully, the military governor in charge did not follow through with this command!

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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.

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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.

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It is made of lattice-shaped wrought iron with 20,000 lights. The Eiffel Tower was built for $1.5M in 1889. If we inflation adjust this original cost using CPI, we get $44M. According to a 2012 study by the Chamber of Commerce of Monza and Brianza in northern Italy, it is worth $510 billion.

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Eiffel Tower The tower is made of 7,300 tons of wrought iron and in Australia, iron fetches between $0.08 and $0.16 per kilo, so if you had the opportunity to scrap this iconic Parisian landmark, it would net you somewhere in the vicinity of $8.7 million dollars.

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Today, 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.

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However, according to the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel, which owns and operates the tourist attraction, while the Eiffel Tower itself is not protected by copyright, the light show is protected.

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In fact, the Tower has been repainted for over 130 years, about once every 7 years. So if it is repainted, the Eiffel Tower can last... forever.

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As is the case each year, renovation and maintenance work is being done on the top floor of the Eiffel Tower, resulting in its temporary closure to the public from January 3rd to February 3rd, 2023. This is required in order to maintain this symbolic monument of Paris!

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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.

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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.

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What Are the 11 Most Interesting Facts About the Eiffel Tower?
  • It Was Designed by Gustave Eiffel. ...
  • It Took 22 Months to Complete. ...
  • The Eiffel Tower Is Made of Iron. ...
  • The Eiffel Tower Has Three Floors. ...
  • It's as heavy as an Entire Freight Train. ...
  • The Eiffel Tower Has to be Repainted Every 7 Years.


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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 ?

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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).

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There is only one genuine Eiffel Tower; however, there are more than 50 smaller versions of the Eiffel Tower throughout the world. Some of these are found in Tianducheng, China; Tokyo, Japan; Las Vegas, Nevada; Paris, Texas; and Berlin, Germany.

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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.

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