Even after the end of the Summer Games three weeks ago, the Olympic rings will remain permanently on the Eiffel Tower in Paris. “As mayor of Paris, the decision is mine and I have the approval of the International Olympic Committee. So yes, they will remain on the Eiffel Tower,” said Mayor Anne Hidalgo in an interview with the newspaper “Ouest France”.
However, the five rings currently mounted on the tower between the first and second floors must be replaced with a replica because they are “too heavy to withstand permanent support, especially during winter winds,” Hidalgo said.
Rings should be replaced quickly
She explained that “we will have others made that are the same size but lighter and will be placed in the same place on the Eiffel Tower.” This change will take place “as soon as possible” and the manufacturer, ArcelorMittal, is already working on it.
The five intertwined rings, which are 29 metres wide and 15 metres high in total, are attached to the side of the Eiffel Tower facing the Seine at a height of 60 metres. Each of the rings has a diameter of nine metres.
Future of fire still open
In addition to the Olympic rings, the mayor also wants to keep the brazier for the Olympic flame, which is carried by a balloon from the Tuileries, as an Olympic legacy in Paris. She has not yet said whether this will be possible. The mayor also wants to put up the statues of women that emerged from the Seine during the opening ceremony and represent special personalities in the city after the games. There is no final decision on this either.
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