On Monday, an unidentified man spent seven hours climbing the Eiffel Tower. But unlike the standard paying visitors using the stairs or elevator, he scaled the outside of the monument.
The climber used no gear or protective equipment, and he was dressed in casual clothing, writes Outside. (Think of it like Free Solo, but with less preparation.) The seven-hour ascent began at the 377-foot second platform and ended close to the 905-foot third platform when Paris firefighters coaxed him inside, meaning he climbed roughly half of the tower (which stands 1,063 feet tall).
“According to French authorities, the climber was threatening suicide before they managed to safely bring him inside, just as he reached the tower’s highest level,” reports Outside. No other information about his motivations or identity has been released.
The tower was evacuated once the man was sighted climbing the exterior of the Eiffel Tower, and visitors were offered ticket refunds. But on Tuesday morning, the tourist attraction was open and doing business as usual.
Watch the climber near the top before being intercepted by authorities via VOA News:
This is not the first time someone has attempted to scale the French monument. In 2015, YouTuber James Kingston completed the reckless ascent at night before being caught by security in the morning.
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