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The Louvre |
The Louvre museum is one of the most famous and most complete museums in the world. Over 34,000 art works from the end of the 13th century to the middle of the 19th century are displayed at this museum.
The history of The Louvre goes back to Medieval Paris. In 1190 the Louvre was built by King Philip-Auguste as a fortress to protect Paris from the invasion of Anglo-Romans. The Salle Basse or the Lower Hall is what is left from the Medieval life of The Louvre.
In 1364, under Charles V,the fortress was transformed into a Royal Palace until the death of Charles VI. It was not until 1527 that Francois I decide to use the Louvre again but with a Renaissance touch. The west wing was destroyed and to be placed by a Renaissance building. The destruction and constructions continued till the reign of Henri II who added his touches including the king's private apartments.
Throughout the centuries, various kings added and remodeled the palace. The tuileries Palace was built and corridors were added from The Louver to the new palaces.
In 1793, after the French Revolution, The Louvre became a public museum. Divided into 8 departments, it contains arts from the end of the 13th century to the middle of the 19th Century. You can find Middle Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquities, sculptures, and wonderful painting collections including the famous Mona Lisa.
The ultra modern glass pyramid was added to the Louvre as the entrance in 1989. It took 4 years to build this Pyramid.
Art lovers, with more time, probably can easily spend more than 1 day in this massive museum. For others you will spend a good portion of a day just browsing through the art.
You can buy Louvre Museum Pass online in advance. This one day pass gives you immediate access to le Louvre permanent exhibitions and Eugene Delacroix museum.
What you can find at the Louvre:
European Paintings from the 13th - 19th centuries. Paintings are divided into rooms by the country of origin such as French, Italian or Spanish. Prints and drawings have their respective sections as well.
Near East Antiquities - Some dating back over 10,000 years from places like Iran and Mesopotamia.
Egyptian Antiquities - Includes collections from the 4000 BC to the 4th century of ancient Egyptian civilization.
Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities - Includes art collections from the Mediterranean area dating back to the Neolithic times.
Islamic Art - A collection of art objects for the last 1400 years from Islamic countries such as Turks and Moguls.<
Sculptures - Divided into Medieval, Renaissance and Modern sections.
Decorative Art - Some include Jewellery,
Furniture and Tapestries from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.
The Louver also houses temporary exhibitions through out the year at an extra cost.
The Louvre Hours of Operation:
Open Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 9am - 6pm
Wednesday and Friday from 9 am - 10pm
The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, January 1, December 25, May 1 and August 15
Customer reviews for Louvre
Avg. Customer Review (5.0 Stars):
Number of Reviews: 3
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| 6 of 9 people found the following review helpful: |
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Avoid free days to avoid crowds, Aug 13, 2008 |
| reviewer: John Miller
from France |
| I agree with the other reviews. The Louvre and the Orsay museum are the best to see. Avoid going on the first Sunday of the month. Entrance is free, and there will be even bigger crowds. If you do go on a free day, go early. |
| 16 of 16 people found the following review helpful: |
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Absolutely Must See!, Nov 29, 2005 |
| reviewer: Rhonda
from Wisconsin USA |
| If you are into antiquities, fine art, or history . . . you must visit the Louvre! The Musee d'Orsay is wonderful as well, but at least once in your lifetime, you should see treasures like the Mona Lisa. Since you can spend an hour just studying the details of one painting, it would be a good idea to allow yourself a full day to just catch the highlights here, but if you can spare the time, take more than a day. It is best to decide ahead of time what you most want to see, grab a map inside, and focus on those areas of interest. Many areas do not allow photography, but others do. I assure you that you will be in total awe once you are inside looking at the master's works and studying the past history of this world in such a fine display. |
| 11 of 11 people found the following review helpful: |
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spectacular, Nov 03, 2005 |
| reviewer: layla gallagher
from united states |
| The museum was amazing. The art, exhibits, people, and history are unparalleled. Seeing the original Mona Lisa and Venus di Milo was an experience that my daughter and I will never forget. This stop on your visit to Paris should not be missed. |
| 4 of 6 people found the following review helpful: |
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The best, Nov 03, 2005 |
| reviewer: Michelle
from Redmond, WA |
| This is one of the best musuems to visit. Beautiful paintings and sculptures. They seem larger than life! Do not miss it. You may need an extra day to visit all the sections. Simply the best. |
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