Heritage

The Eiffel Tower is celebrating its 130th birthday this weekend

Opened on March 31, 1889, for the Exposition Universelle, the Eiffel Tower is turning 130 this weekend. With an Adventure Game, music on every floor and a portrait exhibition, it will be a birthday party worthy of Paris’ most iconic landmark.
The Eiffel Tower is celebrating its 130th birthday this weekend
Johaness Hayot / EyeEm

The Eiffel Tower is turning 130

On March 31, 1889, a giant iron tower stole the gaze (and the skyline) of the French capital. Gustave Eiffel’s mammoth project had finally come to life, erected on the Champs-de-Mars and unveiled for Paris’ annual Exposition Universelle. What should have been taken down after 20 years became the symbol of Paris, drawing millions of tourists from across the globe each year. From the restaurant on the first floor, to Gustave Eiffel’s apartment tucked away on the third level, the Eiffel Tower has many secrets hidden within its 1,062 foot structure. Climbing its 1665 steps is a Parisian rite of passage.

A weekend of celebrations

To mark its 130th birthday, the Eiffel Tower has a special weekend agenda for its visitors. For those who fancy themselves as a Sherlock Holmes, an Adventure Game will take place over the weekend, in which the name of a confidential file must be deciphered, by solving riddles hidden across the 1st floor of the tower and in the gardens. And what would a birthday party be without music? The first two floors of the tower will be brought to life with a marching band between 6pm and 9pm in the evening.

Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris

Translated by Ashe de Sousa