Day Itinerary
1 Activity
Day 8
2 mi
Le Louvre
When visiting the main city of France, any traveler must visit, perhaps, one of the main museums of the world - the Louvre. It is the cultural jewel of the entire country and even of the world, with works by some of the greatest masters in the history of art.
1.7 mi
10 min
Louvre Museum
Landmark
Open Details
The grandiose building of the Louvre attracts and frightens at the same time. It attracts by the abundance of masterpieces stored in its halls, and frightens by its gigantic size, numerous buildings, which are quite difficult to navigate. At the same time, the surprisingly rich history of the largest museum in the world escapes the attention of tourists.
The military fortress was built in this place in 1202. It was supposed to defend Paris in case the enemy came up the Seine. Its name most likely comes from the word louver, meaning “fortified dwelling." The remains of this fortress are easy to see today. The foundations of the walls of the original Louvre were discovered during excavations. It was decided to preserve them under the roof of the museum. Any visitor today can walk along them on a wooden planking.
A century and a half later, King Charles V decides to move into the Louvre from the Cité. And the fortress was then slightly ennobled. But in the present palace Louvre began to turn at the beginning of the XVI century, with the move to him Francis I. Gradually, decade after decade has appeared one wing after another. The palace became a museum in 1793. The basis of its collections consisted of the treasures acquired at different times by various kings. Among the most valuable exhibits are Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, sculptures of Venus of Milos and Nike of Samothrace.
The plan of the museum, which is given to visitors when they buy a ticket, resembles a geographical map on which the true treasures are marked in different colors. In addition to the museum's collections, everyone is also eager to take a look at the pyramid familiar from “The Da Vinci Code”. Yo Ming Pei's gigantic creation has irritated half of Parisians since 1989, while others have grown accustomed to it. Its appearance in the Louvre's courtyard was due to the fact that in 1981 it was decided to increase the carrying capacity of the museum and to organize the space in the underground space. The idea of the American architect of Chinese origin solved these issues. And also it has given to all architectural ensemble of Louvre some intrigue and lightness. The Louvre is open to visitors on all days except Tuesday from 9:00 o'clock. It is recommended to come in advance to take a queue.
The military fortress was built in this place in 1202. It was supposed to defend Paris in case the enemy came up the Seine. Its name most likely comes from the word louver, meaning “fortified dwelling." The remains of this fortress are easy to see today. The foundations of the walls of the original Louvre were discovered during excavations. It was decided to preserve them under the roof of the museum. Any visitor today can walk along them on a wooden planking.
A century and a half later, King Charles V decides to move into the Louvre from the Cité. And the fortress was then slightly ennobled. But in the present palace Louvre began to turn at the beginning of the XVI century, with the move to him Francis I. Gradually, decade after decade has appeared one wing after another. The palace became a museum in 1793. The basis of its collections consisted of the treasures acquired at different times by various kings. Among the most valuable exhibits are Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, sculptures of Venus of Milos and Nike of Samothrace.
The plan of the museum, which is given to visitors when they buy a ticket, resembles a geographical map on which the true treasures are marked in different colors. In addition to the museum's collections, everyone is also eager to take a look at the pyramid familiar from “The Da Vinci Code”. Yo Ming Pei's gigantic creation has irritated half of Parisians since 1989, while others have grown accustomed to it. Its appearance in the Louvre's courtyard was due to the fact that in 1981 it was decided to increase the carrying capacity of the museum and to organize the space in the underground space. The idea of the American architect of Chinese origin solved these issues. And also it has given to all architectural ensemble of Louvre some intrigue and lightness. The Louvre is open to visitors on all days except Tuesday from 9:00 o'clock. It is recommended to come in advance to take a queue.