If you’re in Paris, to check out the spectacular light show that embelished the iconic Eiffel Tower on each and every night, must be a definite inclusion to your travel plan. Again it is quite tempting for anyone to photograph the show and share it on social media. But before going for that, just think twice, because it may land you in trouble as it’s apparently illegal to take photos of the Eiffel Tower at night.
That’s right. Presently, all those Instagram images, Facebook albums and Snapchats making their way across the globe showcasing the Eiffel Tower under the night stars are actually illegal. Snopes has clearly confirmed, “Distributing photographs of the night-lit Eiffel Tower is a violation of the artist’s copyright.”
The Eiffel Tower is copyrighted for its night-lit view and as the European Union copyright law goes, an artistic work, that includes a photo, video, song, or building, is protected for the lifetime of its creator, plus another 70 years.
The creator as well as the copyright owner of the Eiffel Tower died in 1923, so in 1993 the image of the the world famous structure was opened to the public domain which means, during the daylight hours it’s totally legal for you to take as many photos as you’d like. But the tower’s light show, which was added in 1985, is still technically owned by the artist.
It is because of this copyright matter, in the year 1999, Las Vegas has its own Eiffel Tower, after the death of the original tower’s copyright owner, in 1923.
The same law applies for the Louvre and Rome’s main train station. Though no one has ever gone to court for a night-time Eiffel Tower snap, yet that could change at any time.
Most countries have a “freedom of panorama” law, – an exception in copyright law that makes sure a license is not necessary when a photograph of public art and architecture is taken and used. Therefore when it is perfectly okay capturing a photo of Big Ben in London, you just couldn’t go off and build a brand new version of it without infringing its copyright.
But the European Union allows countries to opt-out of including this freedom of panorama clause in their copyright laws. For instance, France has chosen to utilize this exception.
So while on a visit to such legendary architectures, be sure about the associated legal aspects of it.
