The Olympic rings hanging on the Eiffel Tower since June have been removed… waiting to be replaced by a more durable structure. Anne Hidalgo wants this symbol to remain on the capital’s emblematic monument until the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. But the thirty-ton structure made by steelmaker Arcelor Mittal was not designed to withstand winter weather conditions.
The City of Paris, owner of the Eiffel Tower, and the IOC, owner of the Olympic logo, have said they are working on the construction of new, lighter, permanent rings, while the old ones will be melted down. While waiting for the new ones to be installed, smaller rings were hung on the Iéna bridge, just opposite, to “provide continuity”, according to the town hall.
A controversial project
The socialist mayor’s plan to keep the rings on the Eiffel Tower until 2028 has raised strong criticism among heritage defenders and descendants of Gustave Eiffel. The latter believe that their maintenance would undermine the work of their ancestor erected 135 years ago, which in their eyes is not intended to display an “advertising sign”, the rings being a commercial brand.