One of France’s highest-profile, and controversial, building projects is nearly complete.
The Eiffel Tower’s new security will is mostly in place, and will be completed by Bastille Day, July 14th. They are intended to protect the tower and its 7 million annual visitors from terrorist attacks. It’s also part of a €300 million renovation plant that will see the Tower at its best for the 2024 Olympics.
The walls facing the Champs de Mars parkland behind the tower and the Quai Branly roadway along the river are made of impact-hardened bullet-resistant glass are 2.5 inches thick, and meant to withstand a possible ramming attack.
On the other two sides, the wall is built of metal ‘mini-towers,’ each mimicking the Eiffel Tower’s profile and exactly 1% of its height at 3.24 metres.
