Description of the attraction
The Louvre was both a fortress and a royal palace, and now it is one of the largest museums in the world, receiving up to 10 million visitors a year.
Built in 1190 under Philippe-August as a fortress, the Louvre lost its defensive functions in the 14th century, and Charles V's architect Raymond du Temple began transforming it into a royal residence. In the 16th century, under Francis I, through the efforts of the architect Pierre Lescaut and the sculptor Jean Goujon, a Renaissance palace was built on the site of the medieval Louvre. Work continued under Henry II (the Caryatids Hall appeared, unified facades in the style of the French Renaissance), under Charles IX and Henry IV (the gallery connecting the Louvre with the Tuileries). The expansion of the palace was greatly influenced by the reign of two Louis XIII and XIV: the Square Courtyard was completed, the eastern facade with a colonnade was created. Jacques Lemercier, Louis Le Vaux, Nicolas Poussin, Giovanni Francesco Romanelli, Charles Lebrun worked on architecture and interiors.
However, in 1627 the court moved to Versailles, the Louvre was empty. Even then, it was proposed to create an art gallery in it. Collections of paintings, sculptures, jewelry began to be compiled even under Charles V. By the 18th century, many masterpieces were kept in the Louvre, among which were the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian, Raphael, Rubens, Rembrandt. In 1750, for the first time, a hall was opened here for the public display of paintings from the royal collection. The Great French Revolution nationalized the collection, added confiscated church property, and in 1793 the museum opened its doors to the public.
Since then, the collection has been constantly replenished - during the time of Napoleon, the Restoration and so on until the Second World War. Even before the war, in 1938, when Germany captured the Sudetenland, museum workers realized that the exhibits had to be saved. Many valuable works of art were sent to the Chambord castle, and when the war began, most of the remaining paintings and sculptures were transported there and to other castles. At the beginning of 1945, after the liberation of France, the masterpieces began to be returned to the Louvre, including the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, Venus de Milo, Nika of Samothrace.
Tourists from all over the world still admire these Louvre pearls. There are about 400 thousand exhibits in the museum - you cannot see everything in one visit, it is better to outline several objects or themes. There are plenty to choose from: The Louvre has solid collections of Egyptian, Middle Eastern, Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquities (among the unique exhibits are ancient Egyptian statues of a seated scribe and Pharaoh Ramses II, a stele with a code of laws of Hammurabi), fine collections of Islamic and decorative arts, and also a huge number of paintings, sculptures, prints.
The latest architectural addition is the main entrance in the form of a glass pyramid, erected in 1989 by the American architect Yo Ming Pei. The pyramid sparked controversy because of its stark contrast with the classical appearance of the palace, but it was she who allowed the museum to give a spacious entrance without touching the historical buildings.
On a note
- Location: Cour Napoléon, Paris.
- Nearest metro station: "Palais Royal - Musee du Louvre" lines M1, M7.
- Official website:
- Opening hours: Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: from 9.00 to 18.00, Wednesday, Friday: from 9.00 to 21.45, Tuesday - closed.
- Tickets: adults - 15 euros, children under 18 years old - free.
