• banner

The Louvre in Paris

Home / Travel Tips / The Louvre in Paris

The Louvre, initially a royal palace, was converted into a public museum at the end of the 18th century. The Louvre is located in the first arrondissement, in the heart of Paris and has a magnificent 3,500 artifacts on display.

The museum, spread across three wings of the building, is home to a varied collection, which dates back to ancient times up to the mid 19th century. The collections range from European paintings and sculptures, Roman, Greek, Egyptian and Oriental art and ‘Objects d’Art’ as well, which include furniture, clocks and tapestries.

Venus of Milo, Michelangelo’s Dying Slave, Nike of Samothrace and Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci are some of the most famous artistic pieces housed at the Louvre.

Initially a fortress in the 12th century, it became a royal palace in the 1300s and then the Louvre in the 18th century. The building was built in many phases with one of its extensions fashioned by architect Pierre Lescot.

Louvre museum’s collection was initiated by King Francis I in the 16th century. One of his best purchases included the now famous Mona Lisa painting. Every king thereafter made additions to the collection via purchases and donations owing to its steady growth and in 1793, during the time of the French Revolution; the royal collection was made available for public viewing.

The glass pyramid is the latest addition to the museum and is the main entrance to the Louvre. Constructed in 1989 by American architect I.M. Pei, the ingenuous pyramid lets in sunlight to the floor built underground. Initially though, the glass pyramid was not well received, with many not agreeing to the modernistic addition as it was well in contrast with the building’s classic exterior.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *