Eiffel Tower - City of Light at Night

Eiffel Tower Fast Facts

Still the highest point in Paris, it was the world's tallest structure when built in 1889, until New York's Chrysler Building took the title in 1931.
Admission : a ticket to the top by elevator in 2007 runs about 12€ for adults and 4€ for kids under 12. Children under 3 free.
Paris Metro : Bir Hakeim ; RER railroad stop: Champ de Mars.
Open daily 9AM - Midnight

- Eiffel Tower redesign -
for its 120th anniversary
it promises to double the size
of the viewing platform in 2009.

Known for its looming presence throughout Paris by day, the Eiffel Tower's most spectacular show comes as night falls - as the tower is bathed in shimmering lights in a high-tech show guaranteed to dazzle even the most unromantic of souls ...

Built as the world's tallest structure for the World's Fair by Gustave Eiffel in 1889, the tower was considered an eyesore by many tradition-loving Parisians who hoped that the structure would be removed by year's end.

More than a century later, there the tower remains as an iconic symbol of Paris, attracting some 6 million tourists a year and holding the record as the most visited monument on the planet.

The surprise for many first-time visitors is the enormity of the 1,000-foot tower as they gaze straight up at the superstructure from below. More surprises await with a scenic trip by elevator to the very top of the Paris, laid out before you in 360-degree views.

In 2009, watch for a much talked-about temporary redesign of the Eiffel Tower which architects say will double the size of the existing viewing platform. Happily for tourists at the height of the summer season, the extra "room at the top" will also dramatically reduce waiting times - just in time for the tower's 120th anniversary.

As ever, dusk is the favorite time to visit the Eiffel Tower just as the sun dips below the horizon. That's when Paris flips the switch to reveal a night filled with even more dynamic color and energy in the fabled City of Light.

By all means, get out to see the rest of city after dark, but first take in the foremost "photo op" experience of Paris nightlife from its highest point, the Eiffel Tower.

Related Web Sites:

• Official site of the Eiffel Tower

• Eiffel Tower - Wikipedia

• Paris Digest - Eiffel Tower

also see in Travel -> The New Seven Wonders of the World