Is it illegal to take pictures of the Eiffel tower at night

Why is it illegal to photograph the Eiffel Tower at night?

The Eiffel Tower is the most famous structure in France.
But take a closer look at the pictures and travel brochures.
Chances are, all of them were taken during the day.
There's a myth that it's illegal to photograph the tower at night.
But the truth is more complicated.
The issue comes down to French copyright law.
Architectural creations in the European Union are copyrighted.
The copyright holds for 70 years after the creators pass.
This applies to buildings as well as any other artwork.
The tower was built by Gustave Eiffel in 1889.
Eiffel passed away in 1923, so his copyright expired in 1993.
This means that the tower's likeness can be freely copied.
There are numerous Eiffel Tower replicas around the world.
All of them are perfectly legal.
The same applies to pictures taken during the day.
How come?
The Eiffel Tower is filled with lights.
These were installed in 1985 by Pierre Bidau.
The lights are still copyrighted, but they're invisible during the day.

any photo or video of the tower taken at night violate the law?

Not really.
It's only illegal if you use it for commercial purposes.
If it's just a holiday snapshot, you can safely show it to your friends.
You can even publish it on social media, as long as you're not getting paid for it.

In many European countries, there are laws about the freedom of the press.
They specify that panoramic shots of copyrighted buildings are legal.
But France has no freedom of panorama.
So even a photo of nighttime Paris has to have the tower blurred out.
France did allow some limited freedom of panorama in 2016.
It applies to works of architecture and sculpture.
Reproductions and representations of such works are allowed.
But they must be created by natural persons.
And the law still forbids any use of a commercial character.
So there's no need to worry if you're just a tourist.
But if you're making a movie or doing a commercial photoshoot, you'll need to get permission.

In theory, French authorities can even claim ownership of your picks published on social media.
Breaking the law is punishable by a fine.
In practice, however, the law is very loosely applied.
You can find plenty of pictures of the Eiffel Tower at night online.
Many of them may well be illegal.

France is not the only European country with such a law.
The European Parliament building in Strasbourg is similarly protected.
So are the Colosseum in Rome and the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen.
In fact, Italy and Greece have no freedom of panorama at all.
Most English-speaking countries have general freedom of speech.
You can freely take pictures of the Lincoln Memorial or Westminster Abbey.
But if you're ever in Paris, be careful what you publish on Facebook.

In Summary
The Eiffel Tower's nighttime photography legality is rooted in French copyright law. Built by Gustave Eiffel in 1889, the tower's copyright expired in 1993, allowing its likeness to be freely used.
However, lights added in 1985 by Pierre Bidau remain copyrighted but are invisible during the day. Nighttime photos are legal for personal use, but commercial use requires permission.

France lacks freedom of panorama, so even night photos on social media must blur the tower. While laws exist for other European landmarks, enforcement varies, making many online Eiffel Tower night photos potentially illegal.