The piazza includes some of Milan's most important buildings, including the Duomo di Milano and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Over five million people visit the Duomo every year, according to Culture Trip.
Milan's Duomo and La Scala opera house closed to visitors on February 25. Schools, universities, theatres, and cinemas have also been shut in the city, according to The Guardian.
"It's extremely empty. I've never experienced anything like this," Angela Trapani, a Milan local, told the newspaper.
Milan is only a one-hour drive from Lombardy, a region in northern Italy which remains largely on lockdown due to coronavirus fears.
Source: CNN
In August 2019, the tourist site was so popular that people were fined $278 (€250 ) if they were caught sitting on the steps, The Guardian reported.
As of March 2, there have been 12 recorded cases in Rome, according to a map published by Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
The Unesco world heritage site usually has up to 7.4 million visitors a year, according to a local magazine article from 2018.
Source: Italiani
In January 2019, the fine arts museum saw a record number of 10.2 million visitors, according to the BBC. There are almost 15,000 visitors a day, 65% of which are foreign tourists.
In a statement, the museum said: "Museum staff gathered to discuss the health situation and the COVID-19 prevention measures taken by the museum following instructions from competent authorities."
A sign in front of the museum, seen in the image above, says: "We will inform you of opening hours as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience caused."
There have been no indications of when it will re-open.
The French government also canceled all public gatherings of 5,000 people or more in confined spaces, including the Paris Half Marathon which was supposed to have happened on Sunday, March 1, the BBC reported.
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