Thousands of protesters prompt world-famous landmark to close its doors on tourists

The world-renowned Eiffel Tower in Paris shut its doors on locals and international tourists on Thursday amid a nationwide strike.

As crowds of protesters marched from Place d'Italie toward the Eiffel Tower, the tower's management announced in a statement that the landmark was closed to visitors due to the strike, according to The Associated Press.

Thousands of workers, retirees and students took to the streets of more than 200 towns and cities across France on Thursday, protesting spending cuts and demanding higher taxes on France's wealthy.

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A sign was posted outside the iconic landmark that said, "Due to a strike, the Eiffel Tower is closed. We apologize."

Nearly 200,000 people are protesting across the country, including 24,000 in Paris, according to the French Interior Ministry.

"This is the first time that there are three days of strikes and protests in a month without a government or budget," said Sophie Binet, head of the CGT, one of France's largest and most influential trade unions, per AP. 

"It shows the level of social anger."

The U.S. Embassy in France issued an alert to travelers visiting Paris Sept. 18.

"Avoid the areas of the demonstrations, exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests, [and] monitor schedules with local and national transportation providers," the Embassy advised. 

In 2024, the tower welcomed 6.3 million visitors, according to the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel, which operates the tower.

About 16,500 tourists visit the tower daily, according to Guide to Paris. 

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Last year, the tower was shut down between Feb. 19-24 due to a union employee strike. 

Employees argued that Paris City Hall had underestimated the cost of the planned maintenance ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Reuters reported at the time. 

In June, the Louvre, the world's largest art museum located in Paris, also closed its doors to visitors due to an employee strike, Fox News Digital reported at the time. 

Overtourism sparked by Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" may have in part prompted the strike, with 20,000 people per day crowding the famous painting.

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The Eiffel Tower has not yet announced a reopening date. 

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.