Eiffel Towerone of the world’s most visited tourist sites, closed on Monday after staff went on strike to protest the financial management of the Paris monument, disappointing the crowds below.

The strike is still known Paris preparing to accept 2024 Olympic Gameswhich will begin on July 26 and the winners’ medals will feature the metal of the tower.

Visitors stood behind the tower’s fencing barriers in front of a giant screen announcing the strike.

“It’s a real shame because we’re only here for three days and we won’t be able to go up,” said Nelson Navarro, who came from Norfolk, England.

Vito Santos from Canada planned to revisit the monument 15 years after his honeymoon and show it to his children.

“Disappointing (…) the plan was to come here very early to get the ticket as soon as possible. However, this came as a surprise to us; they are on strike here, so we cannot come on the tour,” he said.

Trade unions claim that Paris City HallThe owner of 99% of the company that controls the tower, Societe d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), is underestimating the cost of maintenance and repairs of the monument planned before the Olympic Games.