The Olympics and now the Paralympics have brought us a whole lot of joy this summer, and if you haven’t been glued to a screen absorbing all the sport, mishaps and ceremonies, quite frankly, what have you been doing?
Despite their brilliance, the Summer Games sadly can’t go on forever, but Paris is clearly keen to cling to remnants of them for as long as possible, starting with that massive bell that all the athletes ring after they win gold (read more about that here).
However, that’s not enough for Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, as she’s just announced another piece of the Olympics that will stay put in Paris – the Olympic rings. That’s right, those five enormous, 29 by 15 metre, 30 tonne rings, which are adorned to the Eiffel Tower, will become a permanent fixture of the landmark.
‘The decision is up to me, and I have the agreement of the IOC (International Olympic Committee),’ Hidalgo told Ouest-France, ‘So yes, [the rings] will stay on the Eiffel Tower.’
But, why? Well, according to the BBC, Hidalgo said that France has fallen in love with Paris again, and she’s keen to retain the ‘festive spirit’ of the Games. And plenty agree with Hidalgo – a woman called Solène spoke to France Bleu and said: ‘The Eiffel Tower is very beautiful, the rings add colour. It’s very nice to see it like this.’
However, not everyone has such a sunny outlook on the rings. Heritage campaigners have voiced their concerns, as has local resident Manon, who said: ‘It's a historic monument, why defile it with rings? It was good for the Olympics but now it's over, we can move on, maybe we should remove them and return the Eiffel Tower to how it was before.’
Others believe Parisiennes should have been consulted before the decision was made. It’s worth noting that these 30 tonne rings aren’t the versions that will stay put, simply because they’re too heavy. Instead, they’ll be replaced with a lighter version sometime soon.
The Eiffel Tower was built way back in 1889 for the World’s Fair, but people hated it at the time and it was heavily criticised by intellectuals and artists. While keeping the rings is contentious now, we might look back on the pre-Olympic tower in years to come and think it looks incomplete without them – who knows?
More on Paris (with or without the Summer Games)
There’s still a few days left of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, so check out our guide on Fan Zones and everything you need to know about the remaining competitions. But hey, Paris has loads to do if you’re not that into sport! Check out our recommendations for where to eat, drink, shop and sleep in the city.
Did you see that this European city was just named the world’s best destination for solo travel?
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