Night Light Show on Eiffel Tower, Paris

Around 10 pm, we arrived at Trocdero Square, where we had already been in the afternoon. Let me remind you that this place is known for its observation deck, which offers the best panorama of the city, including its main attraction, the Eiffel Tower. In the dark, this structure looks even more impressive, thanks to the illumination. The tower has been illuminated since its opening. Initially, it was 10 thousand gas lanterns, at the top point a lighthouse was installed, radiating the colors of the national flag of France. In 1900, the gas tower was replaced by electricity. In 1925, car manufacturer André Citroën bought the right to use the tower for advertising for 10 years, which became the forerunner of today's multimedia screens. 125 thousand lamps consistently depicted 10 paintings, including starry rain, zodiac signs, comet flight, and others. The cycle ended with the inscription "Buy cheap and practical cars of Monsieur Citroën!". This light show entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's tallest advertisement.

Modern golden lighting was first turned on on December 31, 1985. During national holidays, the tower is illuminated with powerful spotlights in the colors of the national flag. In the summer of 2003, the tower received new lighting equipment, which cost 4.6 million euros. A team of thirty high-rise workers installed 20 thousand custom-made lamps, connecting them with 40 kilometers of wires.

Some of the lights are pulsed lamps that turn on according to a certain algorithm for five minutes at the beginning of each hour, creating a fantastic picture. For the first time, such a show was staged on the night of the Millennium, after which the illumination was dismantled.

Then we went down to the Trocadero Park and walked to the foot of the tower.

That was the end of our first day in Paris and we went to the hotel. After the bright play of light on the Eiffel Tower, the streets of Paris seemed surprisingly dark to me. Even the Champs-Elysees didn't give the impression of a place that was bustling with life around the clock.

As I drove past the Grand Opera,I noticed that there was no lighting on the building. Later, having visited many other countries and several times in Paris, I was able to make sure that the capital of France in terms of lighting and lighting design of buildings is not out of comparison with the cities of Southern Europe, and especially Spain.