The Eiffel Tower. (Photo : Getty Images)
The world famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, the most visited fee-paying monument in the world, will soon be protected by two bullet-proof glass walls to ward-off terror attacks and to strengthen Paris' bid to host two iconic events -- the Summer Olympics and the World Expo.
The Council of Paris that governs France's capital said the walls will be 2.5 meters high and will be located at the north and south side of the tower.
The glass walls will replace the protective metal fences around the base of the tower erected during the UEFA Euro 2016 or Euro 2016 soccer championship held from June to July of that year.
Jean-François Martins, deputy mayor in charge of tourism, pointed out that erecting the bulletproof walls is necessary.
"The terror threat remains high in Paris and the most vulnerable sites, led by the Eiffel Tower, must be the object of special security measures," he said.
He also described the metal fences are "disgraceful."
"It is useful in term of security, but it ruins the view of the monument," he said.
Martins explained the new glass walls will provide Parisians and tourists alike with unobstructed views of the tower from the park, Champ de Mars, and the Pont d'Iéna ("Jena Bridge"), a bridge spanning the River Seine that links the Eiffel Tower on the Left Bank to the district of Trocadéro on the Right Bank.
The security measures are part of a wider $318 million renovation plan to modernize the site over the next 15 years. The plan also involves a complete reorganization of foot traffic around the tower; a series of maintenance works and an improved visiting experience including a reduction in time spent in queues.
The council approved the project on Jan. 31, or before Paris launched its bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and the World Expo 2025.
The World Expo is especially meaningful to Parisians because it was during the 1889 Exposition Universelle that the Eiffel Tower was opened to the public for the first time.
Paris has not hosted a world's fair since 1947 and a Summer Olympics since 1924.
