Eiffel Tower Staircase Sells for €450,000 at Paris Auction

A section of the Eiffel Tower’s original spiral staircase has sold at auction in Paris for more than €450,000, far above its estimated value.

The 14-step segment measures 2.7 m, weighs about 1.4 tonnes and dates from 1889, the year the Eiffel Tower was completed. Artcurial, the Paris auction house, said the final price of €450,160 was well above the estimate of €120,000–€150,000.

"When you buy a piece of the Eiffel Tower, you’re buying a piece of Paris, along with all the imagination and symbolism it represents", said Sabrina Dolla, Art Deco design director at Artcurial.

The tower’s original staircase was cut into smaller sections more than 40 years ago after being replaced by elevators that now take visitors to the highest observation decks. Several sections are held in private collections or displayed at prominent locations around the world, including New York and Japan.

According to the auction house, the 2024 Paris Olympics, during which the Eiffel Tower was one of the event’s main symbols, also increased collectors’ interest.

(reuters, max)