The Moulin Rouge cabaret lost its icon: The wings of the mill collapsed

The wings of the windmill, the symbol of the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret, collapsed in Paris last night. According to firefighters, there were no injuries in the incident. The causes of the accident, which affected one of the most famous buildings in the French capital, are now under investigation.

A photo of the pink-painted windmill, which is the company’s symbol, without its four-bladed propeller, was published by almost all French media this morning. The wings apparently fell on the street and also damaged the illuminated sign of the cabaret. The incident happened between two and three o’clock tonight, BFM-TV reported.

According to an AFP source, the wings collapsed after the cabaret’s opening hours. The wreckage was removed this morning around eight o’clock.

“It is the first incident of its kind since the establishment on October 6, 1889,” alerted the company. In 1915, however, the premises of the cabaret were seriously damaged by fire. According to the management of Moulin Rouge, the windmill is checked regularly by technicians, but they did not notice any defects.

The Moulin Rouge cabaret in the Pigalle district opened in 1889. Over the years it has become one of the symbols of Paris. Windmills were still relatively common on the nearby hill of Montmartre in the early 19th century, before this part of the city became a hot spot for artists and culture. Moulin Rouge simply means red mill.

The incident happened a few months before the start of the Olympic Games in the French capital, which are expected to attract a large number of visitors to Paris. The Moulin Rouge itself and the surrounding businesses are popular tourist attractions. The business is open all year round and hosts two shows a day. According to estimates, approximately 600,000 people visit it every year.