2024 Olympic medals will contain pieces of the Eiffel Tower

And the Paralympic medals will feature Braille script

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games organizers have revealed the medal designs which will stimulate the athletes this summer to find a spot on the podium. What’s immediately notable is that all three types of medals – gold, silver and bronze – also feature an inserted iron hexagon in the centre. And each of these small iron pieces originates from the actual Eiffel Tower. In essence, awarded athletes will have the chance to keep a memorable part of Paris with them forever.

This medal has a historical character and a nod to Pierre de Coubertin who, a contemporary of Gustave Eiffel, was one of the last to be able to visit the construction site of the tower before its opening,” explained Jean-François Martins, president of the Eiffel Tower operating company.

Paris once again aims to leave a historic mark on the Olympic Games

This summer, the French capital is set to welcome the Olympic Games exactly one hundred years after its last hosting. Given that such a momentous occasion is a rare event, even for a world-class city like Paris, the organizers were keen to make it memorable for everyone involved.

This summer’s Games will distribute 5,084 medals to the best sportspeople in their discipline. And every athlete who gets a place on the podium will be able to take away 18 grams of the Eiffel Tower with them. The puddled iron comes from the monument’s operating company, which keeps original puddled iron material for repairs.

The iron hexagon, engraved with the emblem of the 2024 Paris Games will be inlaid on one side of the medal. Its shape is a nod to France, which is commonly referred to as a Hexagone due to its geography.

The reverse side of the medals will feature an image of the Eiffel Tower, together with an image of the Athenian Acropolis and Athena Nike, the goddess of victory. The iconic symbols from the two European capitals are references to the two first editions of the modern Olympic games.

The medals for the Paralympic athletes will also contain the puddled iron pieces, however, on the reverse side they will also feature the words “Paris” and “2024” inscribed in universal braille, in reference to its French inventor, Louis Braille.