Photos show first visitors returning to Europe's most famous monuments as they open to the public again
Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images
Cities around the world are reopening their famous landmarks to the public after they were shut down during the coronavirus pandemic.
From the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the Colosseum in Rome, several countries are hoping to attract tourists back after months of lockdown that left the world-famous monuments eerily deserted.
But officials are still cautious: safety measures including social distancing stickers and a rule on face coverings have been implemented in some venues.
Scroll down to see how some of the world's most popular landmarks are reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.
From the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the Acropolis in Athens, some of the world's most famous landmarks are to open to visitors again as more lockdown restrictions are lifted.
For months, famous galleries, public squares, and landmarks were deserted as millions of people were instructed to stay at home and shelter from the novel coronavirus.
But now, cities are reopening and famous landmarks will again be able to greet tourists and visitors.
But post-lockdown, officials have put a range of safety measures in place, including making face coverings mandatory and placing social distancing stickers on the floor.
Scroll down to see how some of the world's most popular landmarks are reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.
For months famous landmarks were left looking like ghost towns after millions of people were ordered to stay home due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Getty/Miguel Medina
But now, these monuments are finally reopening to visitors as countries begin to gradually lift their COVID-19 lockdown measures.
Getty/Franco Origlia
In Paris, the Eiffel Tower reopened to the public this week. It has been on a three-month shutdown — the longest closure since World War II.
Reuters/Charles Platiau
Source: NPR
But visitors still need to follow health safety measures. For example, instead of taking an elevator to the viewing platform of the Eiffel Tower, people have to climb the (many) stairs for now...
Reuters/Charles Platiau
To avoid having people cross each other on the stairs, those ascending will go on the Eiffel Tower's East pillar and those descending on the West pillar, according to the official Eiffel Tower website.
...and social distancing markers have also been put down. Anyone above the age of 11 is required to wear a face mask while visiting.
Reuters/Charles Platiau
Photos of the queue to climb the tower show a much smaller crowd than you would usually see at the iconic tower that draws 7 million visitors a year.
Reuters/Charles Platiau
Source: Eiffel Tower official website
The world-famous Louvre museum in Paris is also planning on opening its doors to visitors on July 6, but will only make 70% of its galleries accessible.
Sabine Glaubitz/picture alliance via Getty Images
Source: New York Times
The world's largest museum, which usually welcomes around 10 million visitors a year, will control visitor numbers through its online ticketing system.
Sabine Glaubitz/picture alliance via Getty Images
Source: New York Times
The Palace of Versailles has also opened its golden gates to the public again, with photos showing queues that were almost back to normal.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Meanwhile, in Athens, the ancient Acropolis site has also started welcoming visitors again after two months of shut down.
Milos Bicanski/Getty Images
The site can host around 2,000 people at the same time and the use of masks is strongly advised.
Greece, which successfully clamped down quickly on the COVID-19 outbreak, is now eager to get its economy started again.
Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images
While the Acropolis site is outdoors and can host up to 2,000 people at a time, only a limited number of tourists will be allowed in, and safety measures, including plastic dividers, will encourage them to respect social distancing rules.
Milos Bicanski/Getty Images
Source: Euronews
Italy, which was one of the worst-affected countries in the world, has also started opening its world-famous sites.
Reuters
One of the most-visited sites in the world, the Roman Colosseum, is being appreciated by a trickle of vistors...
Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Colosseum's director, Alfonsina Russo, said it had been "surreal" seeing the empty landmark during the three-month closure, adding: "It's a symbol of Rome and of Italy."
"But the sense of emptiness highlighted the great beauty of this place and its fragility," Russo told AFP.
...although it looked refreshingly empty compared to the masses of people that are usually standing in queues in front of it.
Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Pictures of Venice, one of Italy's most-visited cities, people again lining up in front of the Doge's Palace.
Getty Images
Other landmarks are also seeing similar crowds again, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
Enrico Mattia Del Punta/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Visitor numbers to the 14th-century tower are being restricted to 15 at a time, according to the BBC. It gets around 5 million visitors annually.
...the Duomo in Florence...
Laura Lezza/Getty Images
But even in Italy, where there hasn't been a wave of the virus yet, officials remain cautious. The country has seen more than 34,000 coronavirus-related deaths since the beginning of the outbreak.
Laura Lezza/Getty Images
Source: Johns Hopkins University
...and the Milan cathedral.
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