What is the Louvre?

What is the Louvre?

If you know anything about France or have ever traveled there then surely you know what the Louvre is. If not, then it is definitely something that you are going to want to become more aware of, especially if you are planning on traveling to the area of France in the future.

The Louvre

The Louvre Museum is the most visited and oldest art galleries in the world, and is located in Paris, France. It has an incredibly long history of artistic and historic conservation, and holds some of the world's most famous works to ever be known, including Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People, and Alexandros of Antioch's Venus de Milo.

History

The Louvre was actually built in several different stages over a substantial amount of time. It was first built in the sixteenth century when the Royal family began their move near the fortress of the Louvre. Then the original keep was destroyed and replaced by a palace, and about a decade after that, Catherine de Medici started with another palace project, the Tuileries on the west side of the Louvre.

The Louvre Pyramid

The Louvre Pyramid is a large pyramid made of metal and glass, which serves as the main entrance to the Louvre Museum. It is the latest addition to the Louvre and absolutely one of the finest examples of a combination of modern and historic architecture. It was designed by the world renowned American architect I. M. Pei, and the glass on the pyramid allows sunlight to come in and shine on the underground floor.

Although there are certainly various other museums and art galleries that you should check out when you are in France, the Louvre should definitely be at the very top of your list, as it is considered as being a staple of the French culture. When you are in France, you can partake on one of the many offered tours through the museum, and check out all of the different wings that make up the building.

The Richelieu Wing for instance, is a major part, and was built by Louis XIII. It was part of the Ministry of Economy of France which took up most of the north wing of the palace. Louis XIII also completed the Denon Wing, which as of today has been renovated as a part of the Grand Louvre Renovation Programme. The original beauty and architecture was kept however, and only minor parts were restored as a part of the program.