A segment of the original staircase from the Eiffel Tower is set to go under the hammer in Paris next month, offering collectors the rare chance to own a physical piece of one of the world’s most recognizable monuments.
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The steel staircase section, once used by visitors climbing between the tower’s upper levels, is expected to attract significant interest at auction. However, potential buyers will need both substantial funds and ample space to accommodate the sizeable structure.
Original Feature of the 1889 Tower
The staircase segment formed part of the spiral structure linking the second and third floors when the tower first opened in 1889. Constructed from steel and riveted sheet metal, the piece includes 14 steps mounted on a cross-shaped base.
It measures about 2.75 metres (9 feet) in height and 1.75 metres (5.7 feet) in diameter, making it a striking artifact from the tower’s early days.
The Eiffel Tower was unveiled during the Exposition Universelle (1889), an international fair marking the centenary of the French Revolution. Since then, roughly 300 million people have visited the structure, which draws around seven million visitors annually.
For decades, those who reached the tower’s summit would have climbed sections of the spiral staircase. But in 1983, the monument underwent a major modernization programme. During that overhaul, parts of the staircase were dismantled and replaced by elevators.
Rare Artifact Offered for Sale
The staircase section will be auctioned on May 21 by the Art Deco department of Artcurial in Paris.
According to the auction house, the piece is expected to sell for between €120,000 ($140,000) and €150,000 ($175,000). The current owner has not been publicly identified, but Artcurial says the staircase segment has remained in the same private collection for more than four decades since it was removed from the tower in 1983.
Sabrina Dolla said the staircase had been carefully preserved. In a statement to CNN, she noted that the piece had never been displayed outdoors and had undergone a full restoration ahead of the sale.
She described the object as more than a simple relic of the tower’s past.
“It’s an immersive experience, a stationary journey through time and space,” she said, inviting potential buyers to imagine standing on the steps in 1889 with sweeping views over Paris.
Pieces of the Tower Around the World
When the staircase was dismantled in 1983, around 20 sections were sold to collectors. Many remain with their original buyers.
Several pieces are now displayed in French museums, including the Musée d'Orsay and the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie. Another can be found at the Musée de l’Histoire du Fer.
Beyond France, staircase fragments have appeared in international locations. One section is exhibited in gardens belonging to the Yoishii Foundation in Yamanashi, Japan, while another is installed near the Statue of Liberty in New York.
Previous sales have demonstrated strong demand for these rare pieces of architectural history. In 2016, Artcurial sold another section for €523,800 (about $612,000), the highest price achieved for such an item.
According to Dolla, that sale reflected the intense interest of a determined collector. Ultimately, she said, the final price often depends on timing, opportunity and the passion of bidders.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 9 April 2026
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