The Eiffel Tower is installing bulletproof glass and metal fencing to protect it from terrorist attacks.
The panels are nearly 10 feet high and more than 2 inches thick and will be positioned on the north and south ends of the Paris monument, according to NPR. The east and west ends will now have metal fencing, a measure put in place to protect against possible cars ramming into the monument’s grounds.
{mosads}The report notes that plans for these protective measures were announced in 2017. The bulletproof glass and metal fencing replace temporary barriers that were installed in 2016. The temporary barrier was put in place after a series of terrorist attacks in France.
Bernard Gaudillere, president of the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel, which operates the tower, told ABC that these measures were taken “to increase the security” because the square surrounding the tower is easily accessible to anyone.
ABC also reports that the new perimeter will cost $40 million and will be completely installed by July.
“When you are on site, you see that the 3-meter high walls, compared to the scale of the monument, are absolutely not visible,” the architect overseeing the project previously told The Associated Press. “It will really look as if the square [under the Eiffel Tower] was open.”
The French have been hit by multiple terrorist attacks in recent years, including one in Paris in November 2015, which killed 130 people and wounded hundreds. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria claimed responsibility for that attack.