THE MUSEE DU LOUVRE
Where can you find Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and priceless works of art by other geniuses such as El Greco, Caravaggio and Goya? The answer is in The Louvre, a vast art museum on the Seine’s Right Bank.
Formerly the seat of royalty, the Musee du Louvre (to give it its proper name) has been the home of fine art since Louis XIV packed his bags for Versailles in 1682. During the French revolution of the late 1700s, the rebels decided to officially inaugurate the palace as a museum. Ironic really, as they were fulfilling the wishes of King Louis XVI who lost his head to the guillotine at a public execution on the Place de la Concorde. Following its opening in August 1793, the art collection steadily grew, aided in no small part by Napoleon Bonaparte’s pillaging of Europe’s artistic inheritance following his victories in Italy, Austria and Germany. However, many of these acquired treasures were duly reclaimed after his defeat at Waterloo in 1815.
Fast-forward to 1981, and a hugely ambitious plan to renovate the Louvre at a cost of some US$1 billion over a ten-year-period. Former president Francois Mitterand was the driving force behind the ‘Project du Grand Louvre’ which more than doubled the size of the existing exhibition space, making it by far the largest in the world.
AROUND THE MUSEUM
The main entrance and ticket booths are contained within the 21-metre high Louvre Pyramid. Designed by Chinese-American architect I M Pei, the structure attracted much criticism during its construction in the late 1980s, but is now widely regarded as a stunning success. It comprises of 666 panes of glass, held together by stainless steel nodes and cables. Its very design allows light to flood into the main entrance area, where you will also find shops, a restaurant, cafes and an exhibition entitled the Medieval Louvre. Be prepared for long queues here during peak times, or use the other – less grand – entrances at 99 Rue de Rivoli or Porte de Lions on the Quai des Tuileries.
The central part of the museum is known as the Hall Napoleon. Here you will find escalators to all sections which are clearly signposted. Nevertheless, make sure you pick up a free map if you want to avoid getting hopelessly lost. There are three main sections – Sully (east wing), Denon (south wing) and Richelieu (north wing). On the ground floor of the Sully and Richelieu sections you’ll find the Oriental Antiquities and such treasures as the Mesopotamian prayer statuette of Ebih-il dating around 2400BC and the Babylonian Code of Hammurabi (1792-1750BC), one of the world’s earliest legal documents. Also in the Sully wing is the famous Hellenic statue of Venus de Milo. In the Denon wing you’ll find the Etruscan Sarcophagus of the Reclining Couple, regarded as one of the museum’s finest exhibits. But, of course, no visit to the Louvre would be complete without stepping into the Grande Galerie for a glimpse of probably the most famous painting in the world – the Mona Lisa. Painted in 1503, this enigmatic Florentine noblewoman still attracts the crowds in their droves. The canvas is now secured beneath glass, following the terrible knife attack some years ago. The Richelieu wing is home to a vast collection of French sculpture, including Guillaume Coustou’s Marly Horses. One of the Louvre’s main exhibits, this piece was created by Coustou following the departure of Louis XIV when he was one of several artists to take up unofficial residence.
OPENING HOURS AND PRICES
The Louvre is open six days a week (closed Tuesdays). Opening hours are 9am-6pm, Thursday to Sunday, and until 9.30pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. Standard ticket prices are approx 45FF from 9am to 3pm. A special rate of approx 26FF applies after 3pm. Under-18s are admitted free. Tickets are valid all day long, so you can pop in and out as you please.
Alternatively, you can buy a Museum Pass (Cartes Musees et Monuments) which gains you entrance to the permanent exhibits of 65 museums and monuments in Paris – including the Louvre. You can choose between a one, three and five consecutive day pass. You’ll find the passes for sale at museum ticket offices, tourist offices and larger Metro stations. Incidentally, the nearest metro station is the Palais Royal Musee du Louvre (funnily enough).
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LOCATION MAP
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The LOUVRE - Central Paris;)
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