The 126th anniversary of the public opening of the Eiffel Tower is being marked with a Google doodle showing the site in cartoon form. The doodle, by French visual development artist Floriane Marchix, shows the tower being painted by cheery workmen in berets and overalls, swinging from the tower.
To paint the structure in its entirety would require 60 tons of paint, according to the Eiffel Tower website, which says that this process takes place every seven years. The tower is still the tallest structure in Paris, at 300m high (324m if you include its antennae). London’s Shard stands at 306m.
The tower was first opened by French premier Pierre Tirard on 31 March 1889. On that day, Gustave Eiffel, the architect and civil engineer behind the building, climbed its 1,710 steps to plant the French flag at its peak. In 2010, it received its 250 millionth visitor.