# The Eiffel Tower is slightly taller in summer

> **Verdict: True** · evidence strength 97/100 · claim checked
> Warm metal makes the Eiffel Tower expand slightly in summer and contract in winter, but the change is only a few millimeters.

Published September 25, 2026, re-researched September 25, 2026 by FactsReef (Science). Canonical: https://factsreef.com/fact-checks/science/is-the-eiffel-tower-taller-in-summer-than-in-winter-3ee4e9
Asked as: "Is the Eiffel Tower taller in summer than in winter?"

## The short answer
The Eiffel Tower is slightly taller in summer, but only by a tiny amount. The official Eiffel Tower site says warm weather makes the metal structure expand and that it can become “a few millimeters taller,” while winter cold makes it contract again. NIST explains that this is normal thermal expansion in solids, where small temperature changes cause proportional length changes. [1, 4, 5]

## Key facts
- The Eiffel Tower’s current listed height is 330 meters, including antennas, as of the official tower figures and height history pages. [2, 3]
- The tower’s official site says heat can make it “a few millimeters taller,” and cold weather can make it lose a few millimeters. [1]
- On sunny days, the top can trace a curve about 15 centimeters in diameter because one side warms more than the others. [1]
- NIST describes thermal expansion as a standard property of solids: a small temperature change causes a linearly related change in length. [4, 5]
- The tower’s seasonal size changes are described by the official site as natural and imperceptible to visitors. [1]

## Why summer makes it taller
Yes, but only because metal expands when it gets warmer. The Eiffel Tower is made of puddled iron, and its official site says it reacts to high summer temperatures by growing slightly, then contracts in winter as temperatures fall. That is the same basic physics NIST describes for solids generally. [1, 4, 5]

## How much it changes
The seasonal difference is tiny: the official Eiffel Tower page describes the change as a few millimeters, not anything a visitor would notice. The tower’s permanent height changes are a separate issue; its current 330-meter total includes antennas added over time, with a major 6-meter antenna addition completed in 2022. [1, 2, 3]

## What people often confuse it with
The Eiffel Tower also moves a little during the day because sunlight warms one side more than the others. The official site says the top can shift in a circular path about 15 centimeters wide on a clear day. That is a sideways lean, not the same thing as the seasonal summer-vs-winter height change. [1]

## Frequently asked questions

### How much taller is the Eiffel Tower in summer?

The Eiffel Tower is only a little taller in summer—generally a few millimeters, according to the official tower site. The exact amount depends on temperature and sunlight, so it is a real change but far too small to notice from the ground. [1, 4, 5]

### Does the Eiffel Tower get shorter in winter?

Yes. The official site says the metal structure contracts in cold weather and can lose a few millimeters. That is the same thermal expansion effect in reverse, and it does not affect the tower’s structural safety. [1, 4, 5]

### Is the 330-meter height seasonal?

No. The 330-meter figure is the tower’s listed current total height including antennas. The summer-vs-winter change is temporary and tiny, while antenna additions are permanent changes to the tower’s total height. [2, 3]


## Sources

1. [Why does the Eiffel Tower change size?](https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/news/history-and-culture/why-does-eiffel-tower-change-size) — The Eiffel Tower
2. [From 300 to 330 meters : the story of the Tower’s height](https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/news/history-and-culture/300-330-meters-story-towers-height) — The Eiffel Tower
3. [Hauteur, poids, construction - La Tour Eiffel OFFICIEL](https://www.toureiffel.paris/fr/le-monument/chiffres-cle) — The Eiffel Tower
4. [Metallurgy](https://www.msed.nist.gov/mechanical_properties/solder_paper.html) — NIST
5. [Circular of the Bureau of Standards no. 486::thermal expansion of solids](https://www.nist.gov/publications/circular-bureau-standards-no-486thermal-expansion-solids) — NIST, January 1, 1950

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