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Winter Olympics: Why tourists were turned away from Da Vinci’s Last Supper

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  • Access to Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, The Last Supper, in Milan was closed for three and a half days, disappointing numerous tourists.
  • The closure, from 5 to 8 February, was not publicly explained but coincided with visits from several VIP delegations.
  • Among the VIPs granted access was US Vice President JD Vance and his family, who visited after attending the Winter Olympics opening ceremony and meeting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
  • Other foreign delegations, including those from China, Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria, also visited the revered artwork during the restricted period.
  • The unannounced closure caused frustration for both international visitors, who missed their only chance to see the painting, and local residents, who faced public transport disruptions.
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