Paris turned off the famed lights of the Eiffel Tower on Wednesday as a gesture of solidarity with the citizens of the Syrian city of Aleppo, hit by a humanitarian crisis as residents flee heavy fighting.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo had said the Eiffel Tower, typically lit by thousands of lights every night, would go dark at 8 p.m. (1900 GMT).

“This symbolic measure at a building known worldwide will aim to once again alert the international community to the need for urgent action,” Hidalgo’s office said in a statement.

Fighting intensified in Aleppo over the last month, leading to concerns around the world over the plight of its citizens, with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad moving to take full control of the city.

The Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors on Wednesday, due to a strike by staff. 

(France 24)