Amid energy crisis in Europe, Eiffel Tower to go dark early
As Europe deals with rising energy prices, the crisis will force the Eiffel Tower, one of the most visited monuments in the world, whose sparkling lights characterize the nighttime in the Paris skyline, to go dark early.
However, to honor Queen Elisabeth II’s passing on Thursday night, the Eiffel Tower went dark, a remarkable gesture.
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The decision to reduce lighting is viewed as a means to serve as an example of the overall decrease in the city’s light.
The tower’s nighttime lighting accounts for 4 percent of its annual energy consumption.
The continent is dealing with soaring energy prices, made worse by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Paris is expected to recommend this week that the monument will go black more than an hour earlier than usual.
The Eiffel Tower currently has a sophisticated lighting system that illuminates it from dark until one in the morning, giving it a golden glow. In addition, 20,000 flashing bulbs give the monument a five-minute glitter every hour starting at dusk. The tower will no longer shine at midnight if the city’s hall proposes to have it go dark at 11:45 pm when the last visitors leave.
Tower’s management head, Jean Francois Martins, said, “It’s a highly symbolic gesture – part of the growing awareness around energy sobriety,” The Guardian reported.
The monument nearly receives at least 20,000 visitors each day.
By the end of September, Marseille’s monuments, including the Pharo Palace, will turn off the lights earlier as well. Other authorities also plan to reduce the nighttime lighting of renowned locations.
(With inputs from agencies)
