Paris, July 16, (dpa/GNA) – Amid music and applause, the Eiffel Tower reopened to visitors on Friday after months of being closed due to coronavirus restrictions.
Tickets sold out online in advance for the Parisian landmark, but spontaneous visitors were able to get tickets which became available for afternoon and evening visits.
“It’s so great to see you again,” the Eiffel Tower account on Twitter wrote.
The tower had to shut to visitors late last year as the pandemic forced the closure of multiple spots where crowds might gather and spread the disease.
A reopening had been expected in December, but health conditions had not allowed it so far.
It was the second coronavirus closure suffered at the tower, which was also shut down for parts of the spring of 2020 when the virus first started spreading through Europe.
For the moment, visitors must wear a mask and maintain physical distancing.
From July 21, tightened-up rules come into force in France which mean visitors will have to show a negative coronavirus test or proof of vaccination against Covid-19 or recovery from the disease.
However, young people and children are exempt for the time being.
The more than 130-year-old Eiffel Tower near the river Seine is usually visited by around 7 million people every year.
Last year there was a sharp drop in tourists because of coronavirus restrictions and the lack of international visitors.
The monument, which is also known as “La Dame de Fer” (The Iron Lady) in France, was built for the Paris World’s Fair and completed in 1889.
France was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and the country was under lockdown several times.
The first relaxation of the strict rules came in the spring.
But the incidence rate is rising again. In Paris, there were recently around 97 new infections per 100,000 residents within seven days.
Compared to the big coronavirus infection waves in autumn and spring, however, this value is still rather low.
Stricter hygiene measures are now intended to prevent a new drastic flare-up in infections.
GNA