The Montparnasse Tower in Paris is closing for a few years due to reconstruction

Paris – The Montparnasse Tower, the second tallest building in Paris with a popular observation deck, will be closed to visitors for several years starting Tuesday, according to AFP and French media. The entire skyscraper is set for renovation, and it is expected to reopen only in the next decade. The view from the top floors of the tower over the southern part of the French capital is among the most beautiful in the city, reported DPA today.

According to the French newspaper Le Figaro, the renovation is the largest private construction project in Paris, with costs exceeding 600 million euros (14.7 billion CZK). The renovation includes raising the building by 11 meters, a new glass facade, and a reconstruction of the entrance hall. The tower will primarily serve as an office building, with a luxury hotel planned for the upper floors and a publicly accessible winter garden with a view on the roof.

Since the 1970s, more than 30 million visitors have used the platform with a view of Paris. According to Magnicity, the company that owns the platform, before the COVID-19 pandemic, 800,000 to 900,000 people visited annually. In recent years, attendance has dropped to about 600,000 to 700,000 annually due to geopolitical crises and other issues.

From the tower, one can see the nearby Montparnasse Cemetery, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Eiffel Tower, the only building in Paris that surpasses the skyscraper in height. The skyscraper in southern Paris has always been a subject of debate and, as the only tall building among several-story houses, has earned numerous unflattering nicknames. The most critical voices claim that the advantage of being on top of the Montparnasse Tower is that it cannot be seen.

The tower was built from 1969 to 1973. With its 209 meters and 59 stories, it was the tallest building in Europe until 1990. Now it has also been surpassed in height by some buildings in the La Défense district on the outskirts of Paris. The upcoming renovation will be the first to be undertaken since the tower's construction.