Eiffel Tower reopens to visitors

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Eiffel Tower, which dimmed its lights in mourning following Friday’s attacks in Paris, will be relit in red, white and blue.

As “Armenpress” reports, the 116-year-old international symbol of Paris was lit up in the colours of the French flag at 18:00 GMT (1 p.m. EST) Monday. Monuments around the world have done the same in recent days in a show of sympathy with Paris, including the Sydney Opera House, Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate and Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue.

After the relighting, Paris’s motto, “Fluctuat nec mergitur,” or “Tossed but not sunk,” will be projected onto the 300-metre monument visible across the French capital.

The tower reopened to visitors on Monday afternoon.

Most shops are expected to open on Monday, but business is likely to be slower than usual in the aftermath of the attacks.

The government announced schools and universities will reopen on Monday, but school trips are canceled until next Sunday. All public gatherings in Paris have been banned until at least Thursday.

"[The attacks are] obviously likely to significantly hit the Paris economy in the near term, and there could also be a knock-on effect elsewhere in France," said Howard Archer, the chief European economist at IHS.

Paris is the world's third most popular city for tourists, with over 16 million visitors expected this year. But the events on Friday have forced many to change plans and cancel their trips.

The French authorities tightened security at airports and train stations.

France is part of the European area of free movement and has an open border policy with most of its neighbors, including Belgium, Germany, Italy and Spain. But the attacks on Friday forced France to close its borders and introduce controls on movement.