France's Eiffel Tower to reopen on June 25

By Cindi Cook

PARIS (AA) - The very symbol of France, the Eiffel Tower, will reopen for visitors on June 25.

The landmark, located in Paris's Seventh Arrondissement, has been shuttered for three months since the start of the coronavirus pandemic that hit the Ile-de-France region hard.

France has seen 29,299 fatalities since the start of record-keeping, with 191,523 total cases of infection to date.

Some 7 million tourists a year visit the iconic structure, according to the tower's website, three-fourths of whom are from other countries. The online ticket office has yet to open.

Visitors may normally take an elevator to the first level and then to the top, both offering spectacular views of the city.

But starting on June 25, tours will only be given to the first level -- and only by stairs for the foreseeable future -- while the elevator, a small space, will remain shut to limit the spread of infection.

To further stem the spread, tourists may only ascend by the East Pillar and descend by the West Pillar, with a limited number of tourists each time.

Daily cleaning and disinfecting will take place on the tower as well as markings placed on the floor to enforce social distancing measures.

Completed in 1889 and named for the engineer, Gustave Eiffel, who designed the famed icon, the Eiffel Tower was built in accordance with The World's Fair of 1889, a year which also marked the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.