The Eiffel Tower in Paris is said to be riddled with rust and in need of complete repairs.
But the wrought-iron monument will only receive a cosmetic paint job ahead of the 2024 Olympics in the capital, according to confidential reports cited by French magazine Marianne.
The 324 m (1,064 ft) tower is among the most visited tourist sites in the world and welcomes around six million visitors each year.
It was built by Gustave Eiffel at the end of the 19th century.
But confidential expert reports quoted by Marianne suggest it is in poor condition and riddled with rust.
“It’s simple, if Gustave Eiffel visited the place, he would have a heart attack,” an anonymous tower official told the magazine.
The tower is currently undergoing a repaint at a cost of £60m (£51.7m) ahead of the 2024 Olympics. This is the 20th time it has been repainted.
About 30% of the tower was supposed to have been stripped and then given two new coats, but delays caused by the COVID pandemic and the presence of lead in the old paint mean only 5% will be treated, Marianne said.
The company that oversees the tower, the Société d’exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), has long been reluctant to close it due to tourism revenue that would be lost, the magazine added.
