Eiffel Tower Base To Get 8-Foot Security Wall

The Eiffel Tower in Paris is getting an eight-foot security wall around its perimeter to protect the iconic landmark from a terrorist attack.

The wall will be comprised of bullet-proof glass and is expected to cost approximately $20 million.

France has been hit with some horrific mass-casualty terrorist attacks in recent years, and early this month a machete-wielding man attacked soldiers at the world-famous Louvre Museum. Terrorists have killed more than 200 persons in France in the last two years, the Daily Mail noted.

The new wall will replace some temporary metal fencing that has been in place for about a year that Paris deputy mayor Jean-François Martins described as “disgraceful” because it prevents visitors from having a clear view of the Eiffel Tower, although it is useful from a security perspective.

The Eiffel Tower wall will be designed to protect the landmark from both gunmen and vehicular attacks.

“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…We have three aims — to improve the look, make access easier and strengthen the protection of visitors and staff,”the BBC quoted Martins as saying.

The official added that “the new glass walls will provide Parisians and tourists alike with unobstructed views of the monument from Champ de Mars park and the Iena Bridge. Both are popular photo spots,” CNN explained.

The Eiffel Tower is about 1,000 feet tall.

“This development comes as Paris struggles to recover the flagging tourist trade in the city, which has been driven away by fear of terrorism and surging crime,” Breitbart London observed about the announcement of a wall around the Eiffel Tower, which originally opened in time for the 1889 World’s Fair (Exposition Universelle).

Authorities have beefed up security around many famous Paris tourist attractions including the Eiffel Tower because of the ongoing terror threat.

Paris plans to spend about $300 million over the next 15 years on various renovations to the Eiffel Tower and the surrounding area with upgrades to elevators, lighting, and visitors entrance, among other improvements Moving forward, visitors will to pass through a security checkpoint to enter the compound and walk under the tower. Some six million visitors tour the Eiffel Tower every year. Once the the security gate is in place, visitors can still enter the grounds for free; they will only have to pay to go up the Tower itself.

An official start date for the construction of the wall around the Eiffel Tower, which was originally named after engineer/architect Gustave Eiffel, has yet to be designated, although it is expected to commence later this year after the city obtains some final regulatory approvals.

Paris is seeking to host the 2024 Summer Olympic Games and the 2025 World Expo, which may or may not have played a role in the decision to erect a eight-foot glass wall around the Eiffel Tower.

Building a wall is a hot topic on both sides of the Atlantic. In fulfilling a campaign promise, President Trump has vowed to build a security wall at the southern border with Mexico. This idea has prompted criticism from, among others, Pope Francis, although as the Inquisitr previously reported, Vatican City is surrounded by huge walls and has a very strict immigration policy. As a result of the wave of refugees from Syria and elsewhere as well as illegal immigration, several European countries are erecting walls or fencing at their borders. As the Inquisitr also noted previously, Saudi Arabia is building a 600-foot wall on its northern border to protect the country from ISIS.

[Featured Image by Christophe Ena/AP Images]