The Louvre Museum is the national museum of France and is situated in Paris. It is one of the most historic pieces of art that has been restored by the French. There is a very common saying for the French that they consider themselves the best in the world. One can only be less or equal but never better than them.
The Louvre Museum is spread in a total area of 652,300 square feet and has more than thirty five thousand objects placed in it. It is almost impossible to see the entire museum in a couple of hours and do justice to every piece of art that is placed from the 6th century BC till the 19th century AD. The Louvre is one of the largest museums in the world, with over 35,000 pieces of art housed in a gigantic. Located along the banks of the Seine, the glass pyramid outside the Louvre is a memorable landmark, and an often photographed view of the museum. Descend below to enjoy the large collection of works, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
The history of the Louvre museum starts with Philippe-Auguste, as he built the Louvre in the late 12th century as a fortress on the edge of the city to protect Paris from Anglo-Norman invaders. The Louvre was retrofitted into a residence for Louis XIV in the 16th century, and remained a palace for several centuries, but also began to showcase the works that France had been collecting. The history of the Louvre museum took a dramatic turn in the late 18th century when the art collection took over entirely, and thus the modern Louvre was born. Different rulers build different sections as part of the palace expansion. King Henri IV built the Grande Galerie, which is over a quarter of a mile long, and at the time was the longest building in the world. Louis XIII completed the Denon Wing during his reign. Even Napoleon had a hand in the history of the Louvre museum, adding a wing in the 1850s.
It contains some of the most famous pieces in the world including the Venus di Milo, Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace and the best collection of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian antiquities, and paintings from the middle ages to be found less than one roof.
The Louvre Museum is extremely large and impossible to see in its entirety in a single day. Visitors are advised to plan a visit based on their particular interests and spread their time over several days if possible. The color-coded maps provided by the museum are excellent for planning, showing the locations and highlights of each department and pointing out exactly where to find the most famous exhibits, such as the Venus de Milo and Mona Lisa.
The museum's galleries are clean and spacious, making a wander around a relaxed experience despite the millions of annual visitors. An exception, of course, is the Mona Lisa, which attracts tightly-packed crowds and is rather unpleasant.
Full-day Louvre Museum entrance fee: 9 Euros.
Louvre Museum entrance fee from 6pm to 9.45pm on Wednesday and Friday evenings: 6 Euros.
Louvre Museum Opening Hours:
Open Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, 9 am-6 p.m.;
Wednesday and Friday 9 am-10 p.m.
Admission is free for all on the first Sunday of each month.
The museum is closed Tuesdays and on the following dates:
January 1st, May 1st, May 8th, December 25th.
Mar 7, 2011
| 
420 Views
