The Louvre

Paris 1

Metro: Palais Royal or 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 it was built by King Philip-Auguste as a fortress to protect Paris from the invasion of Vikings.  Throughout the centuries, various kings added and remodelled the palace.  In 1793, after the French Revolution, it became a public museum.

Divided into 8 departments, it contains arts from the end of the 13^th century to the middle of the 19^th 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.

The museum is closed on Tuesdays and some public holidays.

Free admission on the first Sunday of every month and July 14.

You can get  "Ishtar - Louvre Museum, Paris, 2,000BC"  online from the Museum company.

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.

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