The Eiffel Tower has been evacuated and will be closed until further notice after a man attempted to scale the famous landmark.
Update: The climber has been taken into custody, and the tower will reopen the morning of Tuesday, May 21. Get the latest here.
According to a statement on the Eiffel Tower’s official website, the structure will be closed until further notice, and tourists are advised to postpone their visit.
According to France24, the tower and the esplanade underneath it were evacuated Monday afternoon after a man was spotted climbing up the structure. A police source has told the AFP that police have made contact with the climber, but that they do not yet know why he began to scale the building.
CNN International reports that the lockdown began at approximately 2:15 p.m. local time.
An Eiffel Tower spokesperson told Reuters and the BBC that the man had entered the tower normally, only starting his climb once he reached the second floor. The first two floors of the tower can be reached by elevator or stairs, after which tourists must ride an elevator to go any higher.
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