The iconic Eiffel Tower, a symbol of Paris, has always been a captivating sight, but for the 2024 Olympics, it’s getting a special makeover.
In 2017, Paris submitted its final bid for the 2024 Olympic Games, and the Eiffel Tower donned Olympic colors to celebrate the occasion. As it approached its 132nd birthday, the monument underwent a major renovation, preparing for the Games. This restoration involved bringing back the Eiffel Tower’s original “yellow-brown” hue, giving it a golden glow.
The Eiffel Tower will be partially repainted in gold for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Patrick Branco Ruivo, Managing Director of Sete, the monument’s operating company, expressed his excitement: “It’s going to give the Eiffel Tower a slightly more gilded look for the Olympics, rather than the color we’re used to. You can already see the new color if you look at the top portion. It’s not a world-splitting change, but when there’s a nice blue sky over Paris, you can see a metallic and shiny sheen.”
A Golden History: The Eiffel Tower’s Color Transformations
The Eiffel Tower’s color transformation has a rich history, reflecting its evolution as a landmark.
Unfortunately, the painting project, which began in 2019, has faced delays due to the pandemic and the discovery of high lead levels in previous paint layers. The Eiffel Tower, in its 20th paint campaign since 1889, won’t be fully ready for the 2024 Olympics. Only specific sections will be repainted, marking its partial return to the golden color of the early 20th century.
The building has sported seven distinct shades over the years, adding to its charm and fame.
In 1887-1888, during its construction, Gustave Eiffel, the architect, chose “Venice red,” a shade specially developed for medieval Venice. This was the tower’s first color.
In 1889, just two months after its completion, the Eiffel Tower was repainted in a reddish-brown hue, replacing the original Venice red. Three years later, in 1892, the tower underwent its first renovation, donning a new ochre-brown shade for seven years.
For the 1900 Universal Exhibition, the Eiffel Tower got another makeover, this time with brown ochre, fading from orange at the base to light yellow at the top. This change marked the start of seven-year repainting cycles, ensuring regular maintenance.
In 1907, at Gustave Eiffel’s suggestion, the Tower was lightened and given a yellow-brown tint. This color remained until 2022, in anticipation of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.
In 1954, the tower was given a reddish-brown hue, distinct from the earlier reddish-brown. This color remained for nearly fifteen years, during which the Eiffel Tower became an enduring symbol of the Paris skyline.
Finally, in 1968, the 324-meter-high tower adopted its most familiar shade, the famous “Eiffel Tower brown,” a color specially created for this landmark.
The Eiffel Tower, with its golden touch for the 2024 Olympics, stands as a testament to its enduring history and continued evolution. This iconic landmark continues to captivate the world with its majestic presence and captivating stories.
