Louvre Reopens After $150 Million Jewel Heist... Showcases Remain Empty After 9 Months

Reopened Without the French Royal Jewels on Display

Remaining Items Moved to Enhanced Security Area

The Apollo Gallery at the Louvre Museum in Paris, where French royal jewels worth approximately 150 billion won were stolen, has reopened after nine months. However, all the showcases that once displayed the dazzling jewels have been removed, so visitors can now only view the gallery’s architecture and ceiling paintings.

On the 22nd (local time), as the Apollo Gallery at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France reopened, visitors lined up long in front of the Louvre Pyramid. Photo by AP Yonhap News

According to Reuters and AP on the 22nd (local time), the Louvre Museum reopened the Apollo Gallery to the public that day. This comes about nine months after the gallery was closed due to the royal jewel theft that took place in broad daylight on October 19 last year.

The Apollo Gallery had long served as an exhibition space for jewels and treasures belonging to the French royal family. However, in the reopened gallery, both the jewel display cases and exhibits are nowhere to be seen. The jewels that were not stolen will now be displayed in other areas within the museum that have enhanced security systems.

Christophe Leribault, Director of the Louvre Museum, announced plans to operate the Apollo Gallery as a space that returns to its original function as a 17th-century state ceremonial hall, rather than a jewelry exhibition area.

The Apollo Gallery was created on the orders of Louis XIV to replace the previous building destroyed by fire in 1661. In line with Louis XIV, who was known as the Sun King, the gallery is decorated with themes of the sun and Apollo, the god of art and the sun. It is also known to have influenced the design of the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles.

Intruders Entered by Ladder Truck in Broad Daylight... Stole Eight Jewels in Seven Minutes

On the 22nd (local time), the Apollo Gallery at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, was reopened, and visitors are taking photos of the window that was damaged in last year's theft incident. Photo by AP News Agency

During the theft that occurred last October, the perpetrators used an external freight lift to break into a second-floor window of the gallery just after the museum opened. After breaking the window and display cases with a power cutter, they grabbed eight royal jewels in just seven minutes and escaped on scooters.

The stolen items included an emerald necklace and earrings that once belonged to Empress Marie Louise, the second wife of Napoleon I, as well as a tiara and brooch that belonged to Empress Eugénie. The total value of the stolen jewels is estimated at 88 million euros (around 150 billion won).

The crown of Empress Eugénie, which was dropped by the thieves during their escape, was found damaged outside the museum. The crown is currently undergoing restoration, but the other eight jewels have yet to be recovered.

French investigators have indicted four suspects in connection with the case, but the mastermind behind the crime and the whereabouts of the stolen jewels remain unknown.

Security Flaws Exposed at the Louvre... CCTV and Anti-Intrusion Systems Upgraded

This incident has drawn criticism for exposing the inadequate security at the Louvre, one of the world’s largest museums. Investigations revealed there were not enough closed-circuit (CC)TV cameras to monitor for intruders, and there were also problems with alarm notifications and the response to the break-in.

Since the incident, the Louvre Museum has significantly strengthened its security by installing additional surveillance cameras and anti-intrusion equipment. Former Director Laurence des Cars resigned in response to ongoing criticism regarding security flaws and management oversight, and in February, Director Leribault took office as her successor.

Catherine Pégard, France's Minister of Culture, described the reopening as “a symbolic moment of recovery after an incident that shocked the world.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.