Eiffel Tower's lighthouse beams turned off for repairs

The 'lighthouse' beams of the Eiffel Tower that have lit up the night sky in Paris between 10pm and 1am since December 31, 1999, have gone dark for vital maintenance work.

But the work will not go on as long as the restoration of the Elizabeth Tower at the Houses of Parliament in London, which have silenced Big Ben for four years.

The 6,000 watt xenon lights, which can be seen from up to 80km away, are due to be switched on again on October 10, following 'renovation on its rotation and controls', according to a statement on the website of the popular attraction.

"After 17 years of operation and some technical interventions, it seemed necessary to renew its rotation and management systems," a spokesman told Le Parisien.

Meanwhile, visitors to the capital can still enjoy the rest of iron lady's nightly lightshow, which have not been extinguished by the repair work on the lighthouse beams.