Sightseeing Paris

A kings' residence converted into a museum

The Louvre was constructed at the end of the 12th century by King Philip Auguste, and was originally conceived as a fortress. In 1546 François 1 converted the medieval chateau into a luxury residence. Catherine de Médicis later began the construction of the Palais des Tuileries alongside, but never saw its completion. In 1594, upon his arrival in Paris, Henri IV decided to combine the Louvre with the Tuileries and create a truly magnificent palace. However, its golden years came to an end when Louis XIV made Versailles the centre of power, and in 1793, the buildings were turned into a museum.
Some time after, the City Council proposed a new, striking architectural perspective: an unobstructed view from the Arc du Carrousel to the Arc de Triomphe. To make this happen, they had to burn down the Palais des Tuileries.
The Louvre Museum is today divided into seven sections and houses mainly sculptures and paintings from the ancient civilisations of Greece and Egypt all the way through to the Middle Ages and up to the first half of the nineteenth century. Among the most famous that cannot be missed are the 'Mona Lisa' ('La Joconde') by Leonardo da Vinci, 'The Lacemaker' ('La Dentellière') by Vermeer, 'Liberty Leading the People' ('La Liberté guidant le peuple') by Delacroix, and 'The Raft of the Medusa' ('Le Radeau de la Méduse') by Géricault.
François Mitterrand launched the final phase in the evolution of the Louvre in 1981. The objective of the "Grand Louvre" project was to enlarge and modernise the museum, and to incorporate an architectural feature that was both audacious and creative; this was very successfully accomplished with the construction of the Grand Pyramid, placed right in front of the Louvre. In addition to the Louvre Auditorium, built in 1989, the 8000m2 Carousel shopping area was created underneath, opening its doors in 1993. Various services can complement your visit to the Louvre, including visits to the auditorium, childrens' art workshops and the CyberLouvre multimedia space. The museum is open late Mondays and Wednesdays until 10 pm.

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See also: Le Café Diane - Musée d'Orsay - Auditorium du Louvre - Ecole du Louvre - N'importe Quoi - Le Comptoir - Jardin des Tuileries - Le Fumoir

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