The Louvre
By Advisor. Filed in Florida |
The Louvre, originally a palace but now one of the biggest and most visited museums in the world, is a must-visit for anyone with a slight interest in art. Some of the museum’s most renowned artworks are the Mona Lisa and the Venus of Milo.
Originally a royal palace, the Louvre became a public museum at the end of the 18th century. It is found in the first arrondissement, at the guts of Paris, where youwill find more than one nice Hotel Paris.
There are approximately 35.000 objects on view, spread evenly over 3 wings of the former palace. The museum has a wide-ranging collection ranging from the antiquity up to the mid 19th century. Agiant part of the collection is composed of western european paintings and sculptures. Other rooms contain Roman, Egyptian, Greek and Oriental art. There’s also a section with ‘Objects d’Art’, where objects such as clocks, furniture, china and tapestries are displayed.
Some of the most renowned works of art in the museum are the Venus of Milo, the Nike of Samothrake, the Dying Slave by Michelangelo and naturally Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
The Louvre was created in one or two phases. Originally built as a 12th century fortress, it was converted into a royal palace in the 14th century.
Its current appearance goes back to the 15th century, when the original fortress was demolished and the wing along the Seine brook was built. The palace was extended in the 16th century by architect Pierre Lescot, who expanded the palace into a complicated with two yards. A decade later Catharina de Medici added the Tuileries palace to the west of the Louvre. Construction on the Louvre was halted for some time when king Louis XIV made a decision to move to the Versailles Palace.
In the 19th century, in the Second Empire, the Louvre was expanded again with the addition of the Richelieu wing.
The Louvre now had four symmetric wings surrounding a large yard. This wouldn’t last long, as the Communards burned the Tuileries palace in 1871, opening up the west side of the palace. The Tuileries and Carrousel gardens form anice, leafy setting for the Louvre palace. A pleasure at any season of the year, they provide the best place for a chilled mooch and offer a range of activities for visitors of every age. To make your relaxing trip complete reserve a Ferienwohnung Paris.
The collection of the Louvre Museum was first established in the 16th century by King Francis I. One of the works of art he purchased was the now famous Mona Lisa painting. The collection grew gradually thanks to donations and buys by the kings. In 1793, during the French Revolution, the non-public royal collection opened to the public.
The most current addition to the Louvre was the construction of the glass pyramid, which functions as the museum’s main entrance. The pyramid was built in 1989 by the respected Yankee architect I.M. Pei. The glass pyramid allows the daylight to come in on the underground floor.
The modern addition originally received blended reviews, as it contrasts sharply with the classical design of the encompassing buildings, but this day it is generally accepted as a clever solution which has given the museum a spacious central entrance without the need to touch the significant patrimony.
Tags: Louvre, Louvre Paris, Museum Paris
