Kathmandu. The Louvre Museum in Paris has been closed after it was stolen.
French Culture Minister Rasida Dati wrote on Instagram that the theft happened on Sunday morning while the museum was opening. “I was at the scene,” she said. Where the police were investigating. ’
Dati later said, “The stolen gemstone was found near the crime scene. It was probably dropped. An investigation is underway in this regard. It’s still unclear what the object is. The thieves worked professionally without violence or terror. ’
There were no reports of any attacks in the incident. The museum will remain closed for “special reasons”. However, details have not been provided.
It is one of the most visited museums in the world. It contains many of the world’s famous artifacts and treasures.
What do you know so far?
According to French media, three masked men entered the Louvre shortly after the museum opened on Sunday morning. The French Interior Ministry said a group of people broke windows and entered the Apollo gallery at around 9:30 a.m. local time. Located on the banks of the Seine River, this gallery houses the relics of the French Crown Jewels.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said that three or four thieves used a forklift attached to a truck near the museum. Once inside, they stole the jewellery and then fled on a motorcycle. ’
According to Nunez, the theft lasted 7 minutes. Investigators are now determining which items were stolen. “These objects are of huge commercial, historical and cultural importance,” the ministry said.
French police have closed the road to the museum and the river in front of it. The research is primarily focused on the southeast corner of the building. It is located in front of the Sen River.
A large movable staircase is visible from a distance, similar to the one often used by fire trucks or roofing companies. It is connected to a machine used to transport goods to the high floors of Paris. The top of the staircase touches the balcony. Which is probably how the three thieves got to the upper floor.
The Apollo Gallery houses the rest of the French Crown Jewels. Most of these jewelry were lost or sold after the French Revolution. However, some valuable items remained. The jewelry in store includes items acquired after the French Revolution for Emperor Napoleon, his nephew Napoleon III and their wives Marie-Louise and Eugenie.
According to the Louvre’s website, the most valuable items in this gallery are three diamonds – Regent, Sanci and Hortensia.
The Louvre in Paris is the largest museum in the world. Its exhibition area is approximately 73,000 square meters. That’s the equivalent of ten football fields.
It was originally built in 1546 as a palace for the French royal family. Its first inhabitants, King Francis I, were art lovers and wanted to use the Louvre to display their art collections.
Successive French kings expanded the royal art collection. After Charles I was executed during the English Civil War, Louis XIV also acquired the art collection of King Charles I of England. The art collection was closed to the public until the French Revolution of 1789. In 1793, the Louvre reopened as a public art gallery.
Today, there are more than 35,000 artworks in the Louvre. These include Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, ‘Mona Lisa’. About 30,000 people visit the Louvre every day.
Thefts from the museum are rare due to its tight security. Still, there have been some incidents. The most famous was in 1911. When Leonardo da Vinci’s famous masterpiece Mona Lisa was stolen.
The police questioned the poet Guillaume Apollinaire and the painter Pablo Picasso. However, the real culprit is an Italian man. They wanted to take the painting back to Italy for national pride. Three years later the painting was found in Florence and returned to Paris. At that time, painting was not as popular as it is today.
Similarly, some 16th-century armor was lost in 1983. It was rediscovered in 2011.
As recently as 1998, 1998 19th-century artist Camille Corso’s painting ‘The Savior Road’ was stolen. It was taken straight from the wall and no one noticed. Major security changes were made in the aftermath of the incident. No pictures found.
