A piece of France’s Eiffel Tower is now up for grabs. You’ll need deep pockets | CNN

Experiencing the Eiffel Tower can be a crowded affair – about 7 million people visit each year – but now you can enjoy a part of this majestic French monument in your own home. A piece of the Parisian landmark’s original staircase is going up for auction in the French capital next month. There are a couple of catches, however: Bidders will need deep pockets to buy it and high ceilings to store it. Section no. 1 of the original spiral staircase connected the second and third floors of the tower when it opened in 1889. Made of steel and riveted sheet metal, it comprises 14 steps resting on a cross-shaped base and measures 2.75 meters high (9 feet) and 1.75 meters (5.7 feet) in diameter. About 300 million people have visited the world-famous French landmark since it first opened during the Universal Exposition, a fair celebrating the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. Cyclist breaks record riding up Eiffel Tower For almost a century, those visitors would have climbed to the top via these steps, but in 1983 the monument underwent a major overhaul and sections of the staircase were dismantled and replaced with elevators. On May 21, this part of the historic staircase will