PARIS — The Eiffel Tower was shut right down to guests Wednesday due to a strike over contract negotiations, the day the Paris monument marks 100 years because the demise of its creator, Gustave Eiffel.
Vacationers can nonetheless entry the glass-enclosed esplanade beneath the tower, however entry to the 300-meter (984-foot) landmark itself is closed till additional discover, in response to an Eiffel Tower spokesperson.
The strike was declared forward of contract negotiations with town of Paris, which owns the 134-year-old monument, the spokesperson mentioned. Union representatives didn’t instantly reply for remark, and it was unclear how lengthy the strike would final.
One of many world’s most-visited websites, the Eiffel Tower is often open twelve months a 12 months — although it sees occasional strikes — and is anticipated to play a central position within the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The attraction usually sees about 20,000 guests per day this time of 12 months, mentioned the spokesperson, who was not licensed to be publicly named in response to tower administration coverage.
A particular music present marking the demise of Gustave Eiffel on Dec. 27, 1923, was nonetheless scheduled to air on social networks and French tv Wednesday evening as a result of it was prerecorded, the spokesperson mentioned.