The Louvre Closes Nine Rooms Due to Building 'Fragility'

Another unfortunate development for the Louvre Museum. The monumental cultural centre in Paris has been forced to close one of its galleries after issues were detected with some beams in the building, which is an ancient royal palace located in the heart of the French capital. This was announced by the Louvre on Monday afternoon in a statement that did not specify how long this closure "as a precaution" would last. This decision comes less than a month after the world's most visited museum suffered a spectacular heist on October 19, when four thieves stole eight jewels from the era of Napoleon and the 19th-century French emperors and kings.

The area affected by this unusual closure is the Campana Gallery, comprising nine rooms dedicated to Ancient Greek ceramics. It is located on the first floor in the south wing of the Louvre. It represents just over 2% of the museum's rooms, which has more than 400 and a surface area exceeding 73,000 square metres. Other spaces remain open and have not been affected by the measure.

The Louvre's management made this decision after receiving a new report on the building's condition last Friday. This report had analysed the situation on the second floor in the south wing, "an area that has been under particular surveillance for years due to its complex architectural design." According to the museum's statement published on its website, the document warned of "the special fragility of some beams on the second floor" due to "a recent and unpredictable evolution." In addition to the Campana Gallery on the first floor, the closure affects the same area on the second floor, where the offices of 65 employees have been relocated to another part of the building.

This news is not entirely surprising considering that earlier this year, a document from the Louvre's management was leaked, warning of the building's "worrying condition," where there are leaks, drainage issues, and temperature control problems in the rooms. French President Emmanuel Macron announced an ambitious renovation plan at the end of January to enhance security, modernise facilities, relocate the 'Mona Lisa,' and construct a new entrance. The issue with this programme is that it will not be completed for another decade.

The need for building improvements, particularly in security measures, was heightened after the theft of the eight jewels, valued at 88 million euros. Nearly a month after this heist, which had worldwide repercussions, French security forces have arrested seven people, including allegedly three of the four members of the gang. Currently, they are still searching for the fourth member and the loot, which remains missing.