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Tour Maine-Montparnasse
Tour Montparnasse
Information
Location	Paris 15th arrondissement
Status	Complete
Constructed	1969 - 1972
Use	Office
Height
Roof	210m (689 ft)
Technical Details
Floor count	59
Floor area	88,400 m² (951,500 ft²)
Companies
Architect	Jean Saubot, Beaudouin, Cassan, de Marien

Tour Maine-Montparnasse (Maine-Montparnasse Tower), also commonly named Tour Montparnasse is a 210-metre (689-foot) tall office skyscraper located in Paris, France, in the area of Montparnasse. Constructed from 1969 to 1972, it is the tallest skyscraper in France. In the future, it may be surpassed in height by the superrenovated Tour AXA (225 m), and later by Tour Phare and Tour Generali (both approximately 300 metres).

Contents 1 Location 2 Criticism 3 Climbing the tower 4 The asbestos problem 5 See also 6 Gallery 7 External links

Built on top of the Montparnasse - Bienvenüe Paris Métro station, the 58 floors of the tower are mainly occupied by offices, while two floors are open to the public for viewing the city; the 56th floor with a restaurant, and the terrace on the top floor. On a clear day, the view covers a radius of 40 km; aircraft can be seen taking off from Orly Airport. The guard-rail can be removed in only two minutes to allow helicopters to land. At the time of construction, it was the tallest building in Europe by roof height. The construction of La Grande Arche in La Défense places the tower in a second line of perspective across Paris: see Axe historique.

Its simple architecture, gigantic proportions and monolithic appearance have been often criticised for being out of place in Paris's urban landscape and, as a result, two years after its completion, the construction of skyscrapers in the city centre was banned.

The design of the tower predates architectural trends that placed high importance on a view of the outside, and so only offices around the perimeter of each floor have windows (more modern skyscrapers are often designed to provide a window for every office, if possible).

It is sometimes said, only half-jokingly, that the view from the top is the most beautiful in Paris, since it is the only place from which you cannot see the tower.

In 1995 French urban climber, Alain "Spiderman" Robert, using only his bare hands and feet and with no safety devices of any kind, scaled the building's exterior glass and steel wall to the top.

In 2005 studies showed that the tower contained asbestos material. Asbestos when inhaled, for instance during repairs, is a known carcinogen. As with the Jussieu Campus, the problem of removing the asbestos material from a large building used by thousands of people is acute. Projected completion times for removal are: three years if the building is emptied for the duration of the work, and ten years if the building is not emptied.

• List of tallest buildings and structures in Paris

Tour Montparnasse from the top level of the Eiffel Tower. The tower is the brown tower at the top of the picture

• Satellite view of Tour Montparnasse at WikiMapia
• Photos of the Montparnasse Tower
• Tour Montparnasse
• Structurae: Tour Montparnasse
• Fact sheet and reviews
• Pictures and info

Coordinates: 48°50′30″N, 2°19′20″E