The Eiffel Tower, one of Paris’ greatest historical monuments, will be surrounded by an 8-foot glass wall by the end of 2017. The city government of Paris has bared plans to construct a wall made entirely of bullet-proof glass at the north and south ends of the tower. Speaking in a news conference last week, Deputy Mayor Jean-Francois Martins acknowledged that the “terror threat remains high in the city.” Thus, he said that “vulnerable sites” such as the Eiffel Tower “must be the object of special security measures.”
Not A Wall But An ‘Aesthetic Perimeter’
According to a news report in The Local – France, the glass wall will replace the existing metal fence that surrounds the tower. This fence was part of the security measures implemented prior to the 2016 Euro football tournament. Since then, the fence has remained.
The protective barrier aims to keep people and vehicles from “storming” into the site. Visitors will have to go through security checks to enter the area under the tower.
Martins described the project, saying that it “will replace the metal grids in the north and south with glass panels which will allow Parisians and visitors a very pleasant view of the monument.” The metal fence has previously been criticized as an unsightly addition to the tower. He also added: “We have three aims – to improve the look, make access easier and strengthen the protection of visitors and staff.” He is currently in charge of city tourism. During the conference, he also called it an “aesthetic perimeter” and not a wall.
Glass Perimeter And Major Upgrade To Cost 320 Million Euros
According to Bloomberg, the city has allocated 2o million Euros for the proposed barrier. The final form of the barrier however will depend on the bids and plans the city will receive. In the meantime, the tower itself will also be undergoing a major upgrade costing 300 million Euros. This is part of the city’s ongoing bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.