Paris Icon Collapses: The Moulin Rouge’s Windmill Sails Fall for First Time in 134 Years

The iconic windmill sails of the Moulin Rouge in Paris collapsed for the first time in its 134-year history overnight. The incident occurred at 2 a.m., shortly after the venue’s last show had ended. Fortunately, there is no further risk of collapse, according to Paris firefighters.

The Moulin Rouge, founded in 1889, holds a significant place in Paris nightlife history and is known as the birthplace of the can-can dance. The venue is located at the foot of Montmartre hill in the 18th arrondissement of Paris and will celebrate its 135th anniversary on October 6. Despite facing challenges such as a fire in 1915, the Moulin Rouge has remained a symbol of Paris and has gained international recognition, especially after the release of Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film “Moulin Rouge!”

A Moulin Rouge official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the incident happened after closing and that the cabaret’s technical teams had not noticed any problems with the windmill mechanism during their weekly checks. However, the exact cause of the collapse was not provided. Director Jean-Victor Clerico stated that there was no evidence of foul play and suggested that a technical failure may have been responsible for damage caused by