Eiffel Tower Staircase Section to Auction in 2026

A rare section of the Eiffel Tower's original spiral staircase, once used by visitors ascending the iconic Paris landmark, will be auctioned in the French capital on May 21, 2026. The steel piece, estimated to sell for between 120,000 and 150,000 euros, offers collectors a tangible link to the monument's early days.

The lot, designated Section No. 1, consists of 14 riveted steps mounted on a cross-shaped base, standing 2.75 meters tall and 1.75 meters in diameter. It originally connected the tower's second and third floors when the structure opened in 1889 for the Exposition Universelle, a world's fair marking the centennial of the French Revolution. Designed by engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower drew crowds via foot climbs on its winding staircase for nearly a century. In 1983, a major renovation dismantled much of the staircase to install elevators, improving access for the site's roughly 7 million annual visitors, who have totaled about 300 million since its debut.

Auction house Artcurial, handling the sale through its Art Deco department, described the piece as having remained in a private collection for more than 40 years since its removal. The unidentified owner,...