Before-and-after photos show how fear of the coronavirus has emptied out Europe's biggest tourist attractions

Attractions like The Louvre Museum in Paris, as well as the main cathedral in Milan, have closed due to fears of the virus spreading even further.
These pictures show the visible difference between Europe's most notable landmarks before the outbreak, and during.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

The coronavirus has since spread to Europe, and is ravaging the tourist industry there.

Its arrival was marked by a dramatic spike in cases in the Lombardy region of Italy, the country with the worst outbreak outside of Asia .

Since then, some of Europe's most notable landmarks have seen their number of visitors dwindle, or been closed down completely for fear of furthering the spread.

These before-and-after photos show how individual tourist landmarks have been left totally abandoned by the coronavirus outbreak.

BEFORE: The Piazza del Duomo in Milan is the biggest attraction in the city.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Getty/Oscar Gonzalez

The piazza includes some of Milan's most important buildings, including the Duomo di Milano and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

Over five million people visit the Duomo every year, according to Culture Trip.

AFTER: The famous square is now looking eerily empty as the number of cases in Italy continues to climb.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Getty/Miguel Medina

Milan's Duomo and La Scala opera house closed to visitors on February 25. Schools, universities, theatres, and cinemas have also been shut in the city, according to The Guardian.

"It's extremely empty. I've never experienced anything like this," Angela Trapani, a Milan local, told the newspaper.

Milan is only a one-hour drive from Lombardy, a region in northern Italy which remains largely on lockdown due to coronavirus fears.

Source: CNN

BEFORE: The Spanish Steps in Rome are a UNESCO world heritage site which attracts millions of picture-taking tourists every year.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Getty Images

In August 2019, the tourist site was so popular that people were fined $278 (250 ) if they were caught sitting on the steps, The Guardian reported .

AFTER: But as the coronavirus spreads further south, more tourists are refraining from visiting the famous steps.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Getty/Andrea Ronchini

As of March 2, there have been 12 recorded cases in Rome, according to a map published by Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

BEFORE: The Colosseum in Rome is one of the most-visited archaeological sites in the world.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Silvia Lore/Getty Images

The Unesco world heritage site usually has up to 7.4 million visitors a year, according to a local magazine article from 2018.

Source: Italiani

AFTER: It looks unusually empty, as tourists take precaution and avoid large crowds.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Andrea Ronchini/Getty Images

BEFORE: Near the Colosseum is the Il Vittoriano monument.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Getty Images

AFTER: Again, the scene is emptier and people are wearing masks.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Getty Images/y Andrea Ronchini

BEFORE: The Vatican is one of the most popular religious sites in the world, with almost 20,000 people visiting the Sistine Chapel every day in the summer months.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Raquel Maria Carbonell/Getty Images

AFTER: But even holy sites are facing a downturn.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Andreas Solaro/Getty Images

BEFORE: The Louvre Museum in Paris, home to the Mona Lisa, is the most visited gallery in the world.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Reuters

In January 2019, the fine arts museum saw a record number of 10.2 million visitors, according to the BBC. There are almost 15,000 visitors a day, 65% of which are foreign tourists.

AFTER: On March 1, it was announced that the museum would not open because of the virus.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Kiran Ridley/Getty Images

In a statement, the museum said: "Museum staff gathered to discuss the health situation and the COVID-19 prevention measures taken by the museum following instructions from competent authorities."

A sign in front of the museum, seen in the image above, says: "We will inform you of opening hours as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience caused."

There have been no indications of when it will re-open.

The French government also canceled all public gatherings of 5,000 people or more in confined spaces, including the Paris Half Marathon which was supposed to have happened on Sunday, March 1, the BBC reported .

BEFORE: Venices popular San Marco square is often packed...

BusinessInsider USA Images

Miguel Medina/Getty Images

AFTER: But now looks pretty empty, even in Carnival season.

BusinessInsider USA Images

Andrea Pattaro/Getty Images

Before-and-after photos show how fear of the coronavirus has emptied out Europe's biggest tourist attractions

Recommended articles

BEFORE: The Piazza del Duomo in Milan is the biggest attraction in the city.

AFTER: The famous square is now looking eerily empty as the number of cases in Italy continues to climb.

BEFORE: The Spanish Steps in Rome are a UNESCO world heritage site which attracts millions of picture-taking tourists every year.

AFTER: But as the coronavirus spreads further south, more tourists are refraining from visiting the famous steps.

BEFORE: The Colosseum in Rome is one of the most-visited archaeological sites in the world.

AFTER: It looks unusually empty, as tourists take precaution and avoid large crowds.

BEFORE: Near the Colosseum is the Il Vittoriano monument.

AFTER: Again, the scene is emptier and people are wearing masks.

BEFORE: The Vatican is one of the most popular religious sites in the world, with almost 20,000 people visiting the Sistine Chapel every day in the summer months.

AFTER: But even holy sites are facing a downturn.

BEFORE: The Louvre Museum in Paris, home to the Mona Lisa, is the most visited gallery in the world.

AFTER: On March 1, it was announced that the museum would not open because of the virus.

BEFORE: Venices popular San Marco square is often packed...

AFTER: But now looks pretty empty, even in Carnival season.

FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA

Recommended articles

A look into the diverse tax reforms being implemented across Africa

Dubai firm to lend South Sudan $12.9 billion in exchange for 20 years oil repayment

China dethrones USA as the most influential global power in Africa: Report

Major African economies expecting inflation ease into next year, except Nigeria

10 African countries with the lowest price changes in household commodities

Dangote refinery outranks Europe's 10 largest refining facilities

Africa may just have the lowest level of cyber threats compared to other regions

A look into Kenya’s Shs1.1 billion climate funding from the UK

FCMB: A corporate journey of resilience, evolution, and growth

Before-and-after photos show how fear of the coronavirus has emptied out Europe's biggest tourist attractions

Recommended articles

BEFORE: The Piazza del Duomo in Milan is the biggest attraction in the city.

AFTER: The famous square is now looking eerily empty as the number of cases in Italy continues to climb.

BEFORE: The Spanish Steps in Rome are a UNESCO world heritage site which attracts millions of picture-taking tourists every year.

AFTER: But as the coronavirus spreads further south, more tourists are refraining from visiting the famous steps.

BEFORE: The Colosseum in Rome is one of the most-visited archaeological sites in the world.

AFTER: It looks unusually empty, as tourists take precaution and avoid large crowds.

BEFORE: Near the Colosseum is the Il Vittoriano monument.

AFTER: Again, the scene is emptier and people are wearing masks.

BEFORE: The Vatican is one of the most popular religious sites in the world, with almost 20,000 people visiting the Sistine Chapel every day in the summer months.

AFTER: But even holy sites are facing a downturn.

BEFORE: The Louvre Museum in Paris, home to the Mona Lisa, is the most visited gallery in the world.

AFTER: On March 1, it was announced that the museum would not open because of the virus.

BEFORE: Venices popular San Marco square is often packed...

AFTER: But now looks pretty empty, even in Carnival season.

FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA

Recommended articles

A look into the diverse tax reforms being implemented across Africa

Dubai firm to lend South Sudan $12.9 billion in exchange for 20 years oil repayment

China dethrones USA as the most influential global power in Africa: Report

Major African economies expecting inflation ease into next year, except Nigeria

10 African countries with the lowest price changes in household commodities

Dangote refinery outranks Europe's 10 largest refining facilities

Africa may just have the lowest level of cyber threats compared to other regions

A look into Kenya’s Shs1.1 billion climate funding from the UK

FCMB: A corporate journey of resilience, evolution, and growth

Trending

The rise and fall of Changpeng 'CZ' Zhao, the ex-Binance CEO who pleaded guilty to anti-money laundering charges and could spend 3 years in prison

9 underrated travel destinations that will be popular this year, from a travel planner

See inside Trump's prized $100 million Boeing 757 private jet he's managed to hold onto despite his costly legal battles

See one of the world's biggest aircraft 'graveyards' where planes go to die — and airlines can dissect them for parts