The Louvre, sitting by the Seine, is a stunning sight, with its famous glass pyramid catching the lively vibe of the city.
This vast former palace, now a museum in Paris, holds over 350,000 artworks from many centuries.
It showcases everything from ancient Egyptian statues to Renaissance paintings, including world-renowned pieces like the Venus de Milo and the enigmatic Mona Lisa.
But there’s more to the Louvre than just art.
Here are ten interesting facts about the Louvre that might surprise you.
The Louvre Museum was initially built as a fortress
The Louvre Museum’s history goes back to the 12th century when King Philip II built it.
While it was constructed in the 12th century, very few people know that initially, it was not built as a museum but as a fortress.
King Philip built the Louvre as a fortress to protect Paris from invasions, especially from the West, as the Kingdom of England still ruled over Normandy.
Normandy was and is a part of France, and realizing the threat from that area, King Philip built the Louvre.
The remains of the medieval Louvre built by King Philip II are still visible in the crypt of the modern-day Louvre Museum.
The Louvre Museum has served as a royal palace for more than one ruler
The present-day Louvre Museum is housed in the originally built Louvre Palace.
However, before becoming an art museum, the Louvre was a royal palace or residence for several French rulers.
Some of the most famous royal residents of the Louvre include:
- King Charles V of France
- King Henry IV of France
- Marie de Medici
- King Louis XIV of France
- Napolean Bonaparte
- Napolean III
- Francois Mitterrand
The Louvre became a Museum much later on
As stated earlier, the Louvre started as a fortress. However, even after that, the Louvre did not become a museum.
After serving as a fortress under King Philip II, the Louvre became a royal palace and housed several kings and their escorts.
The Louvre became the Louvre Museum in 1793 when it was also officially open to the public.
The Louvre Museum is one of the largest museums in the world
The Louvre has undergone several changes over centuries, right from preservation methods to severe expansion and significant renovations.
As a result, the Louvre, currently spanning over 6,52,000 square feet or 60,600 square meters, is the largest museum in the world.
The Louvre Museum is, in fact, so big that even after dedicatedly exploring it for a week, you still wouldn’t be able to explore even half of its premises.
To explore the Louvre Museum thoroughly, one needs at least 100 days, if you spare around 30 seconds, to explore each art piece.
Naturally, it is impossible to explore everything the Louvre has to offer in a single trip.
The Louvre Museum’s collection has grown significantly
With its continued efforts, the Louvre Museum has successfully acquired and presently houses one of the most extensive collections of artwork.
When it was officially opened on 10 August 1793, the Louvre Museum only had 537 paintings.
Today, the Louvre’s extensive collection has surpassed over 3,00,000 artworks, out of which 35,000 of them are on permanent display across eight departments.
This includes the Louvre’s most famous artworks, such as the Mona Lisa, and other paintings, such as the Wedding Feast at Cana and the Coronation of Napolean.
The Louvre also houses some of the world’s most famous sculptures and statues, like the Venue de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
The Louvre Museum has survived some major historical events
Being over 200 years old, the Louvre Museum has witnessed and survived some of France’s most prominent historical, cultural and political events.
The Louvre Museum has survived the reigns of various rulers, including King Charles V of France, King Henry IV of France and King Francois.
The Louvre has also survived several political and social events like the Paris Commune, during which over 1500 people were killed.
The Louvre Museum is one of the most visited museums in the world
The Louvre Museum in Paris is the most visited museum in Paris and one of the most visited museums in the world.
The museum attracts over 10 million visitors annually, making it extremely crowded.
Guests planning to visit the Musee du Louvre should note that they will likely encounter heavy crowds, no matter when they visit.
In 2023, the Louvre Museum recorded 28.7 thousand visitors each day after Covid restrictions were lifted.
The Louvre Museum is worth Billions
The Louvre Museum is the world’s largest museum, and its extensive collection is currently worth billions.
The Louvre Museum and its collections are estimated to be around a whopping $45.5 billion. Isn’t that fascinating?
However, it is quite understandable, considering the Louvre houses some of the finest preserved art collections in the world, and it is in great shape.
The Louvre Museum houses collections from around the world
While the Louvre Museum is significant and central to French history and culture due to its role in the country’s history, there’s much more to see.
The Louvre Museum’s current collection houses collections from around the world, spanning several centuries.
Guests can see collections from different cultures and civilizations, including Egyptian civilization, Islamic art, and Asian, Greek, and Roman artwork.
The art collections worldwide are showcased throughout the eight departments at the Louvre and include statues, sculptures, paintings, photographs, etc.
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The Louvre Museum’s Glass Pyramid and its prominence
The iconic glass pyramid is one of the major highlights of the Louvre and one of the most Instagrammed locations in Paris.
The iconic glass pyramid, also known as the I.M. Pei glass pyramid after its designer, has not been part of the Louvre since its beginning.
This iconic glass pyramid was inaugurated on 4 March 1989 and cost around 2 Billion Francs.
The glass pyramid adds to the Louvre’s unique and sophisticated aesthetics and also serves a functional purpose.
The Glass Pyramid at the Louvre is the main or the central entrance to the Louvre Museum.
It accentuates the appeal and appearance of the Louvre’s medieval charm but adds a touch of modernity to the museum’s structure.
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