Originally meant to defend Paris against the Vikings, this Renaissance palace became a museum in 1793. Today it houses impressive collections of Etruscan, Egyptian, Oriental, Roman and Greek artefacts as well as sculptures, paintings and other works of art ranging from the Middle Ages up to 1850, including Leonardo da Vinci’s enigmatic ‘Mona Lisa’. Architect I.M. Pei’s amazing glass pyramid, commissioned by the President François Mitterrand, caused a sensation when it was added in 1989.
The Louvre has approximately 6,000 European paintings and and was originally designed as a palace. It has been influenced by major events in French history and has experienced changes and additions to the original structure by many architects and decorators. When the Musee d’Orsay was created in 1986, most of the post 1848 works left the Louvre and were transferred to the new Museum which is close by.
The Louvre was built on the site of a medieval fortress on the banks of the Seine river. It was used as the official residence of the French Kings during the 16th and 17th centuries before the Court moved to Versailles in 1682. It officially became a “Peoples Museum” in 1793 after the Revolution, and is now one of the most important museums in the world.
Its collection, which ranges from Egyptian art of 5000 BC to nineteenth-century work, is divided into seven departments: Oriental and Islamic Antiquities; Egyptian Antiquities; Greek, Roman and Etruscan Antiquities; Painting; Sculpture; Decorative Arts; and Graphic Arts.
Throughout the 17th century, as France assumed a dominant role in Europe, the Louvre’s holdings increased dramatically. Particularly important acquisitions during this period were major works by the great Dutch and Flemish masters. In the 18th century the annual salon exhibitions were established. The first state museum was opened in the Louvre in 1793. The central position held by the Louvre in the artistic life was magnified by Napoleon I, who began its Egyptian collection. The overall museum complex was completed under Napoleon III (r. 1852-70). Subsequently, the Louvre expanded its collections greatly through gifts and bequests. Its departments now include Oriental (ancient Mesopotamian), Greek and Roman, and Egyptian antiquities; sculptures from the Middle Age to modern times; furniture and objets d’art; and European paintings and drawings.
In the late 1980’s during the construction of I.M. Pei’s pyramids, the original Medieval fortress base was unearthed, quickly incorporated into the design, and is now on display as part of the museum’s collection.
The relaxing Tuileries garden near by the Louvre museum is one of the most beautiful parks in Paris. Altogether a first class combination well worth a full day of your time.
Admission is EUR8.50 (EUR6 after 6p), and it’s free for children under 18

99 Rue du Louvre
Paris, 75001

Telephone: +33 1 4020 5151
Website: http://www.louvre.fr/
E-mail: info@louvre.fr
Cost: 10 USD per person
Hours: M,Th,Sa-Su 9a-6p; W-F 9a-9:45p

Type: Sights & Activities
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