The Eiffel Tower- a graceful and majestic symbol of France, Paris - the pearl of the country. Interestingly, many Parisians are far from enthusiastic about her. Many of them had to come to terms with its existence. This surprised me a little, because it is really unique and causes great admiration. At night, the building lights up with many bright and bewitching lights.

• Best shots obtained at night

Features of the main attraction of Paris

• The Eiffel Tower consists of three levels. Entrance to the main attraction of Paris is paid. The amount of payment depends on which of the levels you would like to get into. By the way, the ticket seller was a Russian woman.

On the first and second levels you can climb both on foot and with the help of an elevator. But tourists are delivered to the third level only with the help of an elevator. I can say that the third level is the most impressive! You can see photos that only confirm this.

Third level

1. Let's start from the very last level. eiffel tower. On the third platform situated viewpoint as well as many restaurants and cafes. Her height is 274 meters.

Of particular and great interest to me made a famous restaurant called "Jules Verne" or " Jules Verne» located in the glass gallery. I note that if you plan to have dinner here, you should reserve a table in advance, because there are too many tourists who want to admire the beauties of Paris. In general, this gastronomic restaurant has a capacity of 120 seats.

Second and first levels

• You can climb these levels on your own without using the elevator. To do this, you will have to overcome quite a large number of steps. The first and second levels include many restaurants, souvenir shops and cafes.

The ticket office is located on the ground floor., information stand with various useful information and four gift shops. There is also a buffet here., and if you join a tour group, you can see the departments where the hydraulic machines are located, which raised the elevator to the very top of the Eiffel Tower.

From the second level, a beautiful panorama of the view of Paris opens up. From the second level, you can see a lot of pictures that are small, but convey a sense of delight.

• Cost to climb the tower: 15 euros (You will need to defend a huge queue)

Many people have a question when the Eiffel Tower lights up, according to local time, this happens at 21.00, when it starts to get dark. In Paris, this happens around 20.00 to 21.00 hours. But it is better to arrive at 19.00

night charm

By photo and video, which I offer you to view in the menu on the right, you can see all the charm of the sights of Paris. You can also see the scheme of the world famous tower. Of course, the photo does not convey beauty as much as the video, but it makes it possible to consider everything in detail.

Without harm to the structure, it can accommodate 10 thousand and 400 people at one time. There are a lot of tourists here who want to enjoy the night view of Paris, as well as admire the main sights of the city from a bird's eye view. So be prepared to stand in line for hours.

Plenty of color time eiffel tower changed from red-brown to yellow tones. However, over the past few decades, a color called “brown-eiffel” has been officially bred and then patented. Night illumination has been operating since 1990. The last change took place in 2003, and since then the Eiffel Tower has been wrapped in 40,000 wires and about 20,000 light bulbs. Look at the pictures on the right and you will see why people visit Paris great amount tourists annually.

The most grandiose, famous, outrageous building in Paris, of course, is the Eiffel Tower. From its appearance in 1889 as an arch for the Universal Exhibition dedicated to the storming of the Bastille, and to this day, it has been in the spotlight. She was also recognized as an important link in the French economy and a valuable asset to Europe.

The history of the tower!

Although the engineer Gustave Eiffel suggested dismantling the tower after the twenty-year period of its construction, as we can see, it continues to rise majestically on the Champ de Mars to this day.

Book a table at a restaurant on the Eiffel Tower

The most interesting thing is that the idea of ​​​​the design does not belong to Eiffel, but to Maurice Koechlen, his colleague in the engineering bureau. It was in the old drawings of Maurice that the leading engineer found the sketch of the tower that interested him.

Together with other employees, Eiffel finalizes the idea, draws up a joint patent, sends drawings to the competition, and wins. Subsequently, he redeems the rights of possession, and becomes their sole owner.

The surprising fact is that while working on the construction scheme, the research of Hermann von Mayer, a Swiss professor of paleontology of the 19th century, was taken as the basis. He studied the structure of the femur, namely its head in the place of bending and connection with the joint at an angle.

He concluded that thanks to the many small processes of a strict geometric shape with which it is covered, the weight of the body is distributed evenly, preventing fractures.

It was these studies by Mayer that, 20 years later, inspired the designers of the famous tower to give it such a stable shape. Even with a powerful wind, the top deviates only by 12 cm, and if it is hot in the sun, by 18 cm due to the expansion of the metal.

Work on the image

The original appearance of the steel lady was only a model of the technical progress of its time, and looked too conservative. To win the competition, it was necessary to ennoble the structure with decorative elements, to make it more refined.

Gustave suggested decorating the tower piers with stone, making the arches a link between the piers and the ground floor, and turning them into the main entrance to the exhibition. The levels also had to be transformed and become functional thanks to the glazed halls, and the top - to acquire a rounded shape along with other embellishments.

When the scheme acquired all these innovations, the jury approved Eiffel's plan, and he received the green light for construction. Feeling a surge of enthusiasm after the first victory, he exclaimed that France would now be the only owner in the world of a 300-meter flagpole.

To be or not to be - Bohemian opinion

The enthusiasm, however, was not shared by the creative elite, considering the future building to be insulting to the eye. Letters repeatedly came to the city hall demanding that such a monstrous structure not be allowed to be erected, arguing that the Eiffel Tower in Paris would be a huge mistake, a repulsive stain hanging over the city, and not being combined with other architecture.

About three hundred painters, architects, musicians and writers made a protest, sending it to the city authorities, where they urged the commission to change their minds in colorful terms: “For 20 years we will be forced to look at the disgusting shadow of the hated column of iron and screws, stretching over the city like blot".

The petition was signed by Charles Gounod, Dumas son, and the famous novelist Guy de Maupassant. However, subsequently Maupassant repeatedly visited the restaurant, which is now called Jules Verne. When the novelist was asked why he came there, if he dislikes the Eiffel Tower so much, he said that there was no more place in Paris where this damn thing could not be seen.

However, not everyone was so ardent her opponents. She made a completely different impression on Thomas Edison, and in the guest book he wrote a welcoming word to its creator.

Particulars of construction: figures and facts

It all started in 1887 on January 28, and the last day to complete the construction was December 31, 1889. For such a colossal project, it was a record short time, given that the height of the Eiffel Tower was 300 meters.

Building a tower!

There was no technology capable of lifting parts weighing up to 3 tons to this height, and therefore Eiffel had to additionally invent special mobile cranes. Also, in order to speed up the work, most of the elements were made in advance, and holes were drilled in them, into which connecting rivets were installed.

Eiffel demonstrated unparalleled precision in drafting. There were 1700 general and 3629 detailed ones, and their accuracy was 0.1 mm (3D printers print with such clarity today). It is comparable to a piece of jewelry or magic worthy of admiration, especially in this age of high technology.

Inner world

Once in Paris, it is difficult to avoid the temptation to look at the city of love from the height of the most famous Parisian. On the initial two platforms, which are located on the tops of 57.63 and 115.73 m; you can visit restaurants, have a glass of sparkling wine or order lunch.

On the third level, located at 276.13 m, visitors will find a bar, an astronomical and meteorological observatory. The tower is crowned with a lighthouse with a dome, the light of which reaches 10 km.

Rise to the 3rd level

There are 1792 steps to the top, but you are unlikely to want to make such a serious ascent, especially since back in 1899 two Fives-Lill elevators were built for this, and passengers, having risen to a mark of 175 m, moved to another cabin .

Elevator to the 2nd floor

The first machines ran on hydraulic pumps, but since their use was impossible in winter, Otis brand electric motors replaced them in 1983, and the hydraulics are shown as an exhibit to tourists.

Gustave Eiffel's apartment

At the very top there is another room - an apartment that was built specifically for the Eiffel. Although the square is quite spacious, it is furnished simply, but with the taste of a man of the XIX century. It has separate rooms, furniture, carpets, and even a piano - a must-have item for the elite of that time.

When the apartment became known in the city, there were people who wanted to buy it or at least spend the night there, offering solid sums, but Eiffel always refused such offers.

While in Paris, the engineer often arranged meetings in his favorite retreat with the rich and famous people. Edison also visited it, and for ten hours a couple of inventors under cognac and cigars found many fascinating topics for discussion, including the phonograph, a fresh invention of the famous American.

In captivity, but with a proudly raised head

Eiffel Tower, 1940 - the lift mechanism suddenly fails. This trouble happened just before the arrival of Adolf Hitler. Since the war was on, there was nowhere to get new parts for it, and the Fuhrer could only trample at the feet of the obstinate Parisian. On this occasion, the poets did not miss the opportunity to say: "Hitler conquered France, but he could not conquer the Eiffel Tower."

Hitler planned to transmit radio signals from the lighthouse to his military units and broadcast agitation in Paris, but he was especially excited by the thought that the flag fluttering on the spire of the top would be perfectly visible in all corners of the city.

At the end of the summer of 1944, Hitler, annoyed that he could not climb to the top, gave the order to Colonel General Dietrich von Choltitz to destroy the unsubdued pride along with the rest of the sights of Paris.

However, the order was never carried out, and when the invaders left the city, the elevators that had stopped for several years started working again after a couple of hours, and the news was transmitted by radio from the tower.

The height of the Eiffel Tower!

For 40 years, the Eiffel Tower had no competitors in terms of height in the whole world, and only in 1930 lost the palm to the Chrysler Building in New York. Today, its height reaches 324 m due to the antenna installed in 2010.

Height

In reality and in the photo, the tower looks like a slender, sophisticated, charming beauty. Like a true Frenchwoman, she likes to radically change her image from time to time, and has already managed to try on several outfits. She was dyed in different colors that ranged from yellow to reddish brown.

Now, specially for her, they have developed and patented a unique tone “brown-eiffel”, which is closest to the bronze shade. Every 7 years it is repainted to protect the metal from corrosion, and old parts are also replaced with new ones made of a lighter but stronger alloy.

night beauty

The Iron Lady also loves to shine, and at the time of her own premiere in 1889, she sparkled with ten thousand gas lamps, a pair of searchlights and a lighthouse, the rays of which had the color of three shades of the national flag. Just a year later, electric lights sparkled on it, and in 1925 it became the grandiose advertising platform for Andre Citroen.

The advertisement was called: “Tower on fire”, and thanks to 125 new light bulbs, the silhouette first lit up on it, then it was replaced by star rain, which smoothly turned into the flight of comets and zodiac symbols, then came the year of birth of the tower, the current year, and finally the surname appeared Citroen. Advertising worked until 1934.

The Parisian fashionista received her golden dress on the last day of 1985, and in 2003, silvery lights were added to this noble brilliance. This required €4.6 million, 20,000 light bulbs, 40 km of wires, 30 people and several months of work. Another memorable outfit the tower wore from early July to late December 2008, which looked like the flag of Europe - a circle of 12 gold stars on a blue background.

The brainchild of Gustave Eiffel remains a wonderful wonder of the world today. A copy of the Eiffel Tower stands in many cities: in Copenhagen, Las Vegas, Varna, in the Chinese city of Guangzhou, and Aktau in Kazakhstan.

Exact copy in Las Vegas

In the first 12 months of its existence, it fully paid off the costs of construction thanks to the visitors, and remains the most popular, visited attraction. Every year, millions of people come to visit her, and by 2002 this number exceeded 200 million.

observation deck

City of dreams and champagne bubbles

In order to spend as much time in the company of the Eiffel Tower as possible, tickets for the tour and the restaurant can be booked in advance. Several buffets, a bar and a couple of cozy restaurants will allow you to enjoy delicious food, drinks and views of Paris.

On the ground floor, you can visit the 58 Tour Eiffel restaurant, eat a sandwich, fries, croissant, drink juice or coffee, paying only 18 € for lunch. In the evening, there are several main dishes and desserts to choose from, but the price rises to 82 € per person.
At the same level, there are regular buffets, where a glass of juice and a slice of pizza will not exceed 7-8 €.

Restaurant "Jules Verne" (Le Jules Verne)

But, if you are not going to skimp on the pleasures of being in the most romantic place on earth, then visit the luxurious Le Jules Verne restaurant on the second level. Lunch here will cost at least 85 € per person, and dinner with lobsters - at least 200 €.

View from the tower at night

Night Paris with observation deck

Eiffel Tower on the map

However, you can enjoy it without visiting such expensive establishments. Climbing up to the third level, at the Champagne Bar, take a glass of champagne, take a bird's eye view of Paris, and feel the exclusivity of this moment.

Video

The exact address: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris

Working hours: From 9:30 to 23:00, in summer from 9:00 to 00:00

Tickets

Entrance to the lift (up to the 2nd floor): adults - 11 €, 12-14 years old - 8.5 €, children and disabled people - 4 €.

To the top: adults - 17 €, 12-14 years old - 14.5 €, children and disabled people - 8 €.

Stairs to 2nd floor: adults - 7 €, 12-14 years old - 5 €, children and disabled people - 3 €.

A photo

Eiffel Tower Photo Gallery!

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Holidays in November

Eiffel tower at night photo

eiffel tower photo

Taking pictures of the Eiffel Tower at night is actually illegal. And that's why…
Ah, evening Paris. Your stomach is full of good bread, good cheese and good wine. Now you are looking at the Eiffel Tower: its lights twinkle and dance in the night sky. But if you're thinking about snapping the camera, then think about it again. Snopes, an online fact-checking site, has just confirmed that using photos of the Eiffel Tower taken at night is illegal. (There are other mind-blowing facts too)

Under current French law, it is perfectly possible to photograph the evening light display of the Eiffel Tower. However, sharing this photo via Facebook or Instagram could land you in legal battles.

But happy tourists, as a rule, do not know anything about this. But breathe easier. You can legally take pictures during the day because the Eiffel Tower is a public space. But the evening light display, installed on the tower in 1985 by Pierre Bidault, belongs to the artist and is protected by copyright.

The company de la Tour Eiffel, which owns and operates the tower, confirms: "The rights to publish photographs of the illuminated Eiffel Tower must be obtained from the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel." Using a photograph of the illuminated Eiffel Tower without French permission could be a potential target for lawyers. Betting that you didn't know it doesn't work. (Those amazing international laws that travelers don't know about).

TOM EVERSLEY / SHUTTERSTOCK

Your Facebook photos are probably safe as long as you only use them for personal use. But it's a waste of time to light up the Eiffel Tower every time if the tourists can't click on the photo, right?

Did you know that taking pictures of the Eiffel Tower in the evening is prohibited? To do this, you need to get a special permit!

Yes, yes, you heard right! "Copyright law" prohibits photographing the Eiffel Tower at night. The thing is that you can not photograph not the tower itself, but its night illumination, as it is subject to copyright. You must first obtain written permission from the company "SETE", which is engaged in the maintenance of the tower. A French court ruled back in 1990 that all the lights on the Eiffel Tower should be protected by copyright, but it was only very recently that full control was exercised.

Do not rush to publish your photos of Paris at night - you will break the law of France. According to SETE, all night photos of the Eiffel Tower published on the Internet have been officially authorized by the administration. Those who really want to have the rights to use the night shot of the Eiffel Tower will have to pay a few "royalty" dollars.

When in 1887 Gustave Eiffel decided to build a tower, all the intelligentsia of Paris and all the famous cultural figures of those times criticized his idea. Signatures were even collected in protest. The biggest hater of Eiffel's work was the French writer Guy de Maupassant, who later often liked to dine in the tower's restaurant. At one time, he wrote that this is the only place in Paris where this disgusting building could not be seen!

During World War II, before Nazi troops entered Paris, French engineers disabled an elevator drive that could not be repaired during the war years. German soldiers were unable to reach the top of the tower and hang Nazi flags on it. Hitler conquered France, but not her heart - the Eiffel Tower!

Quite common is suicide from the Eiffel Tower. For all the time, about 400 suicides were committed here. However, not all attempts were realized. The most curious case occurred with a French woman who jumped from a tower and landed on the roof of a car, and then married the owner of the car.

There are more than 10 copies of the Eiffel Tower in different cities around the world, the most famous of them are in Las Vegas, Slobozia, Copenhagen and Varna.

Over 120 years of existence, the Eiffel Tower has been visited by more than 250 million people. About 6 million tourists visit the tower every year.

Throughout history, the Eiffel Tower has been sold by scammers about 20 times, the most famous of them was Victor Lusting, who twice managed to sell it for scrap!

Going to any country, it is always important for photographers to be aware of the specifics of the current copyright law. For example, most people are aware that you need to get the consent of the featured person if you plan to publish their images for commercial or editorial purposes. And what about the use of famous monuments that are on the streets in public space?

Everything is complicated here. Video channel half as interesting posted a video summarizing information about the public domain, copyright, and what you can safely take pictures of, using the Eiffel Tower as an example. Does this mean that we will not be able to photograph the famous landmark in the center of Paris? Not really. It all depends on the time of day chosen for filming.

In the European Union work of fiction- a song, painting, photo, video or building - is under copyright law for the life of its creator and another 70 years after his death. But what if the copyrighted object is in the middle of a beautiful landscape? In most countries, "freedom of panorama" is enshrined in law. This means that shooting is allowed as long as the copyrighted object is not the center of the image.

Panoramic freedom around the world for images used for commercial purposes. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

However, in some EU states, freedom of panorama is significantly limited by law. Unfortunately, France is one of those countries. And in Italy, shooting panoramas is completely prohibited, that is, Renzo Piano's Auditorium and other modern buildings cannot be included in the frames.

In the case of the Eiffel Tower, whose creator died in 1923, copyright law ceased to apply to the object as early as 1993. Therefore, in front of the Paris Las Vegas hotel, which opened in 1999, they were able to build a copy of the tower. But things are quite different with photographs of Gustave Eiffel's tower illuminated at night.

Legal copy of the Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas, USA. Photo: Jürgen Matern.

Twinkling lights on the romantic symbol of Paris were installed in 1985. Illuminations are considered a separate work of art with their own rights. This means that you will have to wait a long time before you can freely photograph the Eiffel Tower at night, in accordance with copyright law. Shooting for personal use is acceptable, but even sharing on social media is prohibited. Although the copyright owner does not claim for non-commercial use, formally any night image of the Eiffel Tower must be obtained permission from the copyright holder, La Société d "exploitation de la tour Eiffel (SETE).

Shooting what other world attractions threatens trouble? Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Grauman's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles, Radio City Theater and Concert Hall in New York, St. Peter's Basilica in Rome - just to name a few. famous places, which are covered by copyright law and subject to restrictions on commercial and/or editorial use of images.

Getty Images" Intellectual Property Wiki - useful resource to keep up to date on the state of intellectual property in the world. And it's time to remember the ban on the use of drones. In 2016, several tourists were heavily fined for flying drones over the Colosseum in Rome. Similar restrictions apply in other cities. Be sure to ask about them before visiting new countries.