Eiffel Tower grows slightly taller amid France's abnormal heatwave

Paris's iconic Eiffel Tower has grown taller, not from new construction, but due to an unusual phenomenon: extreme heat. France is currently experiencing an intense heatwave, causing the iron structure of the 330-meter landmark to expand.

Under the influence of exceptionally high temperatures, the metal composing the tower expands, leading to a slight increase in its overall height, measured in millimeters. This thermal expansion also affects the tower's tilt. The side facing the sun expands more, causing the top of the structure to lean slightly towards the cooler, shaded side.

Gustave Eiffel, the tower's designer, accounted for such temperature fluctuations in his original plans. As the current heatwave subsides and the metal cools, the structure is expected to return to its original dimensions. The current heatwave, occurring in late June 2026, is noted as one of the most severe in recent European history.

The World Meteorological Organization reports that this heat has broken temperature records and impacted public health, infrastructure, agriculture, and fire risk. The situation is exacerbated by a "heat dome," a powerful anticyclone trapping hot air near the ground and preventing it from cooling, even at night.