The Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors for two hours on Wednesday after a phone-in bomb threat turned out to be a hoax, police said.
 
The Paris monument was searched, with no explosives found, a police spokeswoman said, meaning visitors could reenter the renowned structure around 2.25 p.m. local time (1225 GMT/UTC).
 
Earlier, police cars and tape had surrounded the streets below the monument, and the bridge stretching across the Seine River to Trocadero Plaza had similar barricades put in place.
 
The tower's operator confirmed the evacuation and several hundred people were seen leaving the building.
 
The tower normally receives some 25,000 tourists on a daily basis, though that figure has dropped significantly in 2020 after the 131-year-old structure was closed for three months due to the coronavirus pandemic. Restrictions on global travel have also limited the number of tourists visiting the landmark this year.
 
jsi/msh (AP, Reuters)