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The Louvre is one of the largest
palaces in the world and, as a former residence of the kings of
France, also being one of the most illustrious one in Paris. It
epitomizes traditional French architecture since the
Renaissance, and it houses a magnificent collection of ancient
and Western art.
The vast Palais Le Louvre was
constructed around 1200 as a fortress and rebuilt in the mid
16th century for use as a royal palace. It became a public in
1793. The museum presents the main part of its treasures to
visitors, in the new Richelieu wing, Islamic art collections,
oriental antiques, French sculptures, objects d'art, French
paintings & paintings from the Northern school including Rubens.
The Louvre palace in Paris
dates back to 1190 and houses the Louvre museum. Its name has
been taken from the Latin word Lupara (kennels). During eight
centuries, it has been constantly enlarged and blown up by
French kings and emperors alike. President François Mitterrand
added the final touch to it with his "Le Grand Louvre" project.
The project from1981 to 1997 includes an extension and the
complete reformation of the museum. The famous Pei glass pyramid
marks the new entrance to the museum.
The Louvre is both a splendid
and huge royal palace along the Seine River and one of the best
art museums in the world. It hosts the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da
Vinci one of the most famous paintings in the world. From the
pyramid entrance, one can also have the way in to one of the
best and largest shopping centers in Paris, a really nice
underground shopping experience. The relaxing Tuileries garden
near by the Louvre museum is one of the most beautiful parks in
Paris.
In the late 1980s the Louvre
embarked upon an insistent program of renovation and
development. When the first plans by the Chinese-American
architect I.M. Pei were disclosed in 1984, they incorporated a
glass pyramid in the central courtyard that would serve as the
museum's main entrance. Despite having protests before its
construction, since its opening in 1989 the pyramid has proven
remarkably effective in accommodating the large numbers of
visitors. It has even become a relatively beloved landmark of
the city. To mark its 200th anniversary, in November 1993, the
museum unveiled the Richelieu wing in the quarters that had been
vacated by the Ministry of Finance in 1989. This expansion,
which completed the museums occupancy of the palace complex,
added 230,000 square feet (21,390 sq meters) to the existing
325,000 square feet (30,225 sq meters) of exhibition space, and
allowed it to put an additional 12,000 works of art on display
in 165 new rooms.
The Museum is divided into four
divisions - Sully, Denon, Richelieu and Hall Napoleon. Sully
shapes the four sides of the Cent Carree at the eastern end of
the building. Denon stretches along the Seine to the south.
Richelieu is the northern wing along rue de Rivoli. The split
level public area under the glass pyramid is known as the Hall
Napoleon. It has an exhibit on the history of the Louvre, a
bookshop, a restaurant, a cafe and auditoriums for concerts,
lectures and films. The attraction of the Carrousel du Louvre
shopping centre, which runs underground from the pyramid to the
Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, is an inverted glass pyramid, also
by IM Pei. All in all a good blend well worth a full day of
one's time.
About the Author
Anil Gupta recommends that you
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