Built in 1889, Eiffel Tower was part of the centennial celebration of the French Revolution. Not many know that Eiffel Tower was never meant to be a permanent structure. It was planned to be dismantled in 1909. Nobody would have expected at that time that the structure will survive for such a long time and emerge as one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world.
Apart from its structural strength, a key reason it has survived 130 years and still going strong is regular maintenance. Constructed mostly from puddling iron, the Eiffel Tower weighs 10,100 tons and is 320 meters tall. With such colossal numbers, it makes us wonder about the cost of maintenance of Eifel Tower. Here are some facts that will help us in understanding what is maintenance cost of Eiffel Tower.
What is repainting cost of Eiffel Tower?
Although puddling iron has anti-corrosion properties, it will eventually fail over a span of several decades. If the Eiffel Tower was not repainted at regular intervals, it would have fallen apart long ago. Talking about the cost of repainting the Eiffel Tower, around 60 tons of paint is required for one complete paint job. The upper sections of the Eiffel Tower are repainted every 5 years, whereas lower sections get a new coat every 10 years. Overall cost of repainting the Eiffel Tower including labor and equipment charges works out at €60 million. A complete repaint job takes around 18 months.
How long will Eiffel Tower last?
Pudding iron can sustain itself, as long as it receives new paint at regular intervals. So, in theory, the Eiffel Tower can continue to stand tall as long as maintenance activities are properly caried out at regular intervals. However, the problem is that new paint coat is done over the old coat in most parts of the Eiffel Tower. This only provides partial protection, as the corrosion already present within may continue to degrade the iron.
Some experts believe that all the paint layers of the Eiffel Tower should be completely removed and checked for structural defects caused by corrosion. The Eiffel Tower has been repainted for around 19 times, so its difficult to check the corrosion that may be occurring deep within. However, removing all the layers of paint on Eiffel Tower will require it to be closed for a prolonged period. This will result in significant loss of revenue generated by Eiffel Tower.
Another thing worrying experts is the increasing weight of Eiffel Tower. With every new coat of paint, an estimated 40 tons of weight is added to the structure. In between paint jobs, around 10-20 tons of old paint is lost to chipping. But overall, there's a positive gain in weight. This is another reason why some experts are suggesting a complete removal of all old layers of paint on the Eiffel Tower.
What is lighting cost of Eiffel Tower?
A full-lit Eiffel Tower is one of the best sights to experience in this world. However, lighting the Eiffel Tower is a costly affair. Around 22 megawatts of electricity is required each day to light up the Eiffel Tower. At that rate, the cost of lighting up Eiffel Tower is around €104 million every year. Around 20,000 light bulbs have been used across the frame of the Eiffel Tower.
While maintaining the Eiffel Tower is certainly costly, it is still a fraction of the overall revenue that the structure generates every year. Ticket sales alone generate millions of Euros every year. And considering the number of tourists it attracts and its contribution to local economy, the gross revenue generation from Eiffel Tower easily runs into billions of Euros. Eiffel Tower net worth is estimated to be more than €507 billion.
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