No one could possibly visit Paris without seeing its most iconic structure, the Eiffel Tower. Reaching a little over 300 meters, even if you purposely didn’t want to visit the world famous spire, you’d see the top of it from all over town. Also called the Iron Lady, the Eiffel Tower was erected in 1889 as the entrance arch to the 1889 World’s Fair, and has since become the cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Despite being in the public eye, the Iron Lady still has a few secrets.

The Iron Lady Wears Make-Up

 

Every seven years the Eiffel Tower is painted in three shades of brown starting with the darkest at the bottom and lightening the higher the paint is applied. The different paint colors are meant to serve as an optical illusion making the tower seem even taller. It hasn’t always been brown either: in 1899, the tower was painted ochre yellow; and from 1954 to 1961, it was brownish-red. How much paint do you think is used to cover such an immense structure? If you guessed 60 tons, you’d be right.

 

 

The Iron Lady is Married

 

Erika LaBrie, a former US military member and archery world champion, first encountered the Eiffel Tower in 2004 and felt an immediate attraction. As an objectophile, one who develops significant relationships with inanimate objects, this was nothing new to Erika. What started as an attraction quickly grew to love, and in 2007 Erika LaBrie became Erika La Tour Eiffel after she married the Eiffel Tower in a commitment ceremony.

 

 

The Iron Lady Used to Wear Brand Name Labels

 

Between 1925 and 1934, a French automobile company, Citroën, converted the four corners of the tower into a billboard; it was the biggest advertisement at the time. The Eiffel Tower has also been used for political messages. While occupying Paris during World War II, German troops hung a sign from the tower announcing their victory. In 1979, a Greenpeace protester displayed a sign that begged we “Save the Seals”.”

 

 

The Iron Lady Can be a Bit Morose

 

Despite being regarded as one of the most romantic places in the world, the Eiffel Tower holds the record of highest number of suicides than any other French landmark. Not surprising considering other sky rising structures in the world have been used for similarly grim purposes.

 

 

 No one could imagine Paris today without its signature structure, but even with as much popularity as the Eiffel Tower has garnered there will always be fun facts and secrets that can make you really see it not as a generic icon, but as a place with personality. Want to know more of the Eiffel Tower’s secrets? You should know better than to inquire about such things. A gentleman doesn’t ask, and an Iron Lady doesn’t tell. Actually, that’s not true; if you’d like to find out more, there are many online resources on the subject, I just really wanted to use that line.

 

Have you visited the Eiffel Tour? What did you think, did you love it? Sorry to be the one to remind you, but it’s already taken.