Paris, France travel guide

The Louvre Museum in Paris is one of the oldest museums of the world, holding a lush history that pre-dates its establishment in the 18th century. Although the Louvre Museum is only over 200 years old, the Louvre is a collection of Royal structures that were built over 800 years, and is still being expanded and improved upon to this day.

Originally built as a fortress on the banks of the Seine river by Philippe Auguste in the early 1200’s, the Louvre was conceived as a castle to defend Paris from the invading Normans. It remained a military structure until the 1400’s, when the city had grown and new roads stretched further out. In 1535, after the old castle was demolished, construction on the new Louvre began. King François I enlisted the architect Pierre Lescot with the task of building a suitable home for himself and the treasures he had recently collected on his endeavors – Renaissance paintings.

Lescot is credited with bringing to Paris the style of the Renaissance – emphasizing geometrical symmetry, proportion, and harkening back to Classical, Ancient Roman Forms. The sculptor Jean Goujon was hired and collaborated with Lescot to add further decorative elements to the new structure. François I unfortunately passed away a year into construction, leaving his son Henry II in charge – and Lescot worked tirelessly until his own death in 1571.

After François I’s death, his widow, Queen Catherine de Medici no longer wanted to live in the palace he constructed. She ordered the construction of the Palais des Tuileries, as well as the 500 meter-long passageway that would link it to the Louvre. This huge passageway, now known as the Grande Galerie, was not completed until 1608 (under the watch of Henry IV, after the death of Henry II), and is now where the Louvre’s most famous paintings are displayed.

By 1643, Louis XIII completed the most during his reign, including the Denon Wing and the Richelieu Wing. Napoleon I contributed the Jardin du Carrousel in1805, and new wings were being added even during decades later by Napoleon III. In 1989, the Louvre went through its most recent development, adding the Louvre Pyramid – a glass pyramid - as its main entrance.

The Louvre was first opened to the public in 1793, after the French Revolution. In 200 years, it has come a long way, with its collection growing to over 380,000 art objects. In 2006, their visitor count was 8.3 million – making it the most visited museum in the world.