Eiffel Tower management is to celebrate 300 million visitors to the monument. Image: LeoPatrizi/Istock.com via AFP Relaxnews

The monument nicknamed the Iron Lady has welcomed 300 million visitors since its completion in 1889, when it served as the entrance to the World’s Fair in Paris. SETE, the company that manages Eiffel Tower, is planning to celebrate the event on Sept. 28.

With close to 7 million visitors a year, the Eiffel Tower is the most-visited paid monument in the world. Initially built to last for 20 years, the Iron Lady is now planning to celebrate her 300 million visitors on Thursday.

To mark the occasion, Parisians and tourists will be invited to take a picture of themselves and position it on a twelve-meter long wall, which bears the legend “300,000,000 thanks.” Participation in this exercise will be rewarded with a souvenir copy of the picture.

The party will begin in earnest at 6 p.m. when concerts, organized in collaboration with the Paris Regional Conservatory, will take place on every floor of the tower. The atmosphere will be set by jazz in the tower’s forecourt. Strings will give way to trumpets on the first floor, while a quartet of flutes will play at the summit of the tower. From 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., it will be time for electronic music. DJs Isa GT, Michel D and Riks, Louise Chen and Jean Tonique will feature in the line-up for a special free concert on the first floor of the monument.

Finally, to celebrate the landmark’s success, a light show which has been specially designed for the occasion will be repeated every 30 minutes, from 7:30 p.m. to midnight. JB