In response to a security alert, three levels of the Eiffel Tower, which is located in the heart of Paris and is arguably France’s most famous landmark and attracted 6.2 million tourists last year, were evacuated on Saturday.
Police and bomb-disposal specialists were searching the area, including a restaurant that is situated on one of the levels, according to SETE, the organization that manages the facility.
“It’s a usual procedure in this kind of situation which however is rare,” a spokeswoman said.
Soon after 1:30 pm (1130 GMT), people were ejected from the three floors of the monument as well as the square beneath it.
The tower was built starting in January 1887 and was completed on March 31, 1889. Two million people visited it at the 1889 World’s Fair.
