Today's Edition
Paris (dpa)
The five Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower were unnveiled on Friday, 50 days ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris Games.
Mounted on the south side of the landmark and overlooking the River Seine, the rings made from recycled French steel will be illuminated at night.
The structure is 29 metres wide and 15m high, with a weight of 15 tonnes. It was mounted between the first and second floor some 60m up the 330m tower with the help of two big cranes.
The Paris Olympics are scheduled for July 26-August 11, followed by the Paralympics August 28-September 8. The Eiffel Tower is among several Paris landmarks to feature prominently at the Games.
At the opening ceremony, which for the first time does not take place in a stadium, the parade of nations will see athletes travelling on boats on the Seine through Paris to the Eiffel Tower.
Olympic beach volleyball will take place in the adjacent Champ de Mars public park, and the Trocadero area opposite the tower will be a Champions Park for the Games.
The medals for the Olympics and Paralympics also pay tribute to the Eiffel Tower built for the 1889 World's fair. They include pieces of iron from the landmark which is also displayed on the backside.
The Olympic rings are often displayed prominently in host cities, such as at Tower Bridge in London 2012 and Sydney Harbour Bridge in 2000.
