09/03/2024

The Upset over Keeping the Olympic Rings on the Eiffel Tower

The family of its architect are even opposed to this plan

As much as the French capital reveled in the celebratory air of the Olympics this summer, many are less than thrilled to discover Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s plan to keep the iconic Olympic rings on France’s most iconic monument even after the Games.

"The decision is up to me, and I have the agreement of the [International Olympic Committee]. So yes, they will stay on the Eiffel Tower," Hidalgo said in an interview published in Ouest-France on Saturday. She told the news outlet that, thanks to the Olympics, the French "have fallen in love with Paris again" and that she wanted "this festive spirit to remain."

Hidalgo’s plan to permanently alter the facade of the Eiffel Tower has sparked opposition from heritage conservation advocates, her peers and even the family of the monument’s architect Gustave Eiffel. 

Please select this link to read the complete article from TIME.