Eiffel tower celebrates 130 years

The Eiffel Tower has celebrated its 130th birthday in Paris, with the city marking the anniversary with a light show at the famed monument.

Originally built in 1889 for the Exposition Universelle, the 324-meter-tall tower was lit up at 10 pm on Wednesday with a 12-minute laser light show that recounted the storied history of the Iron Lady.

Originally constructed to serve as the entrance arch for the World Expo, the Eiffel Tower is now one of France’s most-visited landmarks and the most-visited paid-for attraction in the world.

The 130th-anniversary laser show will repeat hourly today and tomorrow from 10 pm until midnight.

Christophe Girard, overseeing cultural affairs at Paris's city hall said the recent fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral -- which destroyed its spire and most of its roof -- had awakened people to "the importance of our heritage", and that it "can disappear or be damaged".

Initially due to be demolished after the 1889 Paris Expo concluded, the Eiffel Tower now welcomes around seven million people every year. Over 250 million visitors have ascended the tower during its lifetime via its 1,665 steps, or by taking the slightly less taxing elevator option.

One of the most recognizable buildings in the Parisian skyline, the Eiffel Tower was also the world’s tallest tower for over forty years. From 1889 until 1930, it was the tallest man-made structure in existence until New York’s Chrysler Building opened in the United States. Today, the title lies with Dubai’s 830-meter-tall Burj Khalifa.

Despite its ensuing popularity, when the Eiffel Tower was first constructed many people criticized it. French artists, authors and members of high society denounced the design, describing it as industrial and ugly.

Today, it has been recreated several times around the world including at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel in Nevada, the Parisan Macau in China and the Tokyo Tower in Japan. It was also the inspiration for the Blackpool Tower in the UK.