Louvre (Paris) - detailed information about the museum. Louvre, Paris - detailed information about the museum with photos and videos Message about the museum louvre paris

There is probably not a person in the world who does not know what the Louvre in Paris is. A majestic medieval palace, the former residence of French monarchs and the most visited. The emotions received from contemplating the world masterpieces presented here are so vivid and unforgettable that they will not leave indifferent even a person very far from art. The museum is a must-visit for anyone planning to visit Paris.

The Louvre is rightfully called one of the world's main architectural celebrities. Its beauty is multifaceted and varied. The breath of centuries froze in the intricate patterns of stone, wood and glass; dozens of craftsmen who worked to create a masterpiece left their mark. The walls of the Louvre heard a million secrets, witnessed significant historical events, and the floorboards felt the heaviness of the steps of many great people. The atmosphere of the mysterious building is unique and unforgettable!

History of the Louvre

In Paris, and throughout Europe, you cannot find a second palace that has the harmony and elegance inherent in the Louvre. Its unsurpassed beauty was created over several centuries. The Old Louvre began to be built in the 12th century, and the oldest part of the palace that has survived to this day was erected in 1546; the complete completion of construction dates back to 1857. During this period, France saw 13 kings, 2 emperors and 2 republics. Despite such a long period of construction, multiple changes of eras and a combination of various building styles, today we see a coherent architectural ensemble.

Construction began with King Philip Augustus. By his order, a defensive tower was built on the western border of Paris. Its location was called Lupara, which is where the name of the Louvre castle came from.

At the beginning of its existence, the tower served the functions of Later, they began to store the treasury in it, then it served as a prison and an arsenal. The Louvre became the residence of the French monarchs in Paris during the reign of Charles V. It was he who commissioned the architect Raymond du Temple to reconstruct the existing building. Thanks to the efforts of this master, the palace acquired royal grandeur and became comfortable for living. New buildings with spacious halls were erected. Light penetrated into the interior through huge glazed windows, the walls were decorated with frescoes and wooden carved elements. The main decoration of the renewed Louvre was the huge ceremonial staircase “Grand Screw”.

Construction continues

The luxurious palace was renovated and rebuilt several times during the Renaissance. Dozens of architects worked on its arrangement, trying to bring the ensemble to perfection. At this time, a gallery was built connecting the Louvre with

The Louvre received a new round of development under Henry IV. The monarch was so passionate about art that he invited artists to his residence, providing them with spacious, bright workshops for creativity. Thus, the Louvre Palace in Paris became the birthplace of many masterpieces of French painting.

During the reign of Louis XIV, the palace experienced times of decline and almost completely lost its status as a royal residence. The monarch settled in Versailles, and only sculptors, painters and architects remained to live in the Louvre. At this time, plans even appeared to demolish the palace. Fortunately, they were never implemented.

The French Revolution made its own adjustments to the life of the palace. Since the beginning of the reign of Napoleon III, it has ceased to be the residence of the ruling dynasty and acquired the status of the Central Museum of Art.

At the same time, the construction of the main part of the palace was completed - the Richelieu wing was being erected.

First exhibits

The first exhibits of the museum were paintings by Italian masters obtained from the royal collections. Some of them were collected by Francis I. Among these paintings was a painting that to this day attracts millions of visitors to the Louvre Museum in Paris - the Mona Lisa.

The largest acquisition at the time of the museum’s opening was considered to be 200 paintings by the banker Everard Jabach from the collection of Louis XIV.

During revolutionary France, the museum’s collection was actively replenished with valuables confiscated from aristocrats. There was a large influx of exhibits during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte. The museum has received many archaeological finds and war trophies from Egypt and the Middle East.

What attracts the palace today?

Modern in Paris is first and foremost a museum. More than 350 thousand outstanding works of art are presented here. An impressive number, isn't it? In order to linger in front of each of them for at least a couple of seconds, it will take more than 20 days.

The Louvre is the third largest art museum in the world. The exhibition hall area is 60,000 m2. The entire exhibition is located on four floors in three wings of the building: the Richelieu wing is located along the Rue de Rivoli, the Denon wing stretches along the Seine, and the square courtyard surrounds the Sully wing.

In Paris, the Louvre is treated with great reverence. Every Frenchman is proud of him. The palace is surrounded by national concern, and any change in its life is actively discussed in society.

Questionable architectural element

The most unexpected building for a visitor on the territory of the complex is the Louvre Pyramid. In Paris, and throughout France, debates about its relevance and expediency have not subsided for the third decade. Many disapproved of the Art Nouveau glass structure in the courtyard of a classical palace complex. The choice of such a project came as a shock to most French people. The public calmed down only after the pyramid gained immense popularity among tourists and began to bring tangible income to the city.

Why was the pyramid needed?

The beginning of the 80s of the twentieth century was a period of active development and renovation in Paris. The Louvre was no exception. A competition was announced for a rebuilding project, and to everyone's surprise, architect Yo Ming Pei won with his glass structure.

As conceived by the creator, the pyramid is designed to serve as the main entrance to the building, as it significantly increases the throughput. In addition, natural light enters the large hall through it, and under the “dome” there is a shopping and restaurant area.

The building not only helps to cope with a large crowd of people at the entrance, from it you can quickly get into any exhibition hall. The pyramid very quickly became one of the symbols of Paris along with the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral.

Main places in the Louvre

Well, you have passed the pyramid and thought about the question of which direction to move on.

The exhibition is so large that not everyone will be able to see it in its entirety. It is very easy to get lost inside the huge palace. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the museum’s plan in advance, develop and lay out a route. It’s quite difficult to choose places to visit first, because all the exhibits on display are the best of the best!

We list those halls that you definitely can’t miss:

Medieval Louvre.

Egyptian halls are huge, shrouded in the veil of time. You will not see such unique samples anywhere else.

Greek sculptures are the eternal breath of classics.

Italian painting - from the era of early objections to Titian and Raphael.

Dutch painting - Vermeer's masterpieces with unique optical effects need to be seen with your own eyes.

Apartments of Napoleon III with a complete collection of furniture from that era.

And, of course, the portrait of Mona Lisa - if you say that you visited the Louvre in Paris and did not see the smile of the Mona Lisa, they will not understand you.

Entrance prices

As in any other museum, before viewing the exhibition you need to buy an entrance ticket. The set price is quite affordable: only 12 euros for an adult visitor and 15 euros for a double ticket. If you remember how many outstanding works can be seen in the heart of the museum, the amount seems quite insignificant.

As for children and youth, tourists under 18 years of age have free entry.

Special benefits apply to young residents of the European Union. They are allowed free entry to the museum until they are 26 years old.

How to save money when visiting?

Every first Sunday of the month, the Louvre Museum in Paris opens its doors to its visitors completely free of charge. Most will say it's great, you should plan a trip to the Louvre for this day! However, there is no need to rush. The museum is already breaking all records for attendance. In front of the entrance at any time you can see a rather large queue, and the most popular exhibits can only be viewed from afar. It’s easy to imagine how many visitors the museum attracts on free visit days. Such a crowd of people can completely spoil the impression of viewing the exhibition.

There is another good saving option. From time to time the museum provides a significant discount. All planned promotions are listed on the official website.

How to get to the Louvre without queuing?

A long queue in front of the museum entrance will not please anyone. Buying tickets can take a lot of time, and for a tourist coming from afar, every minute counts.

How long you have to stand in front of the entrance depends primarily on the time of year. For example, in the summer (during the season) you can spend several hours on this. Of course, random coincidence and simple luck play a big role.

Here are some tips to help you visit the Louvre Museum in Paris without wasting too much time:

To visit the Louvre, it is better to choose the morning hours - the queue will be shorter and you will have more time to view the exhibition.

Starting from three o'clock in the afternoon there are significantly fewer people wanting to go inside.

The main entrance to the museum is organized through a glass pyramid in the courtyard; a large concentration of tourists is observed there. But it is not the only one available to visitors. The Louvre can be entered from Rue de Rivoli and directly from the Musée du Louvre metro station.

The space under the dome can be accessed through a passage leading from the Tuileries Garden. The entrance is invisible, there is no big crowd there.

Where is the Louvre

In Paris, every passerby can tell you the address of the famous museum and the most convenient travel option. But it’s better to familiarize yourself with its location in advance so as not to waste precious time, especially if your French level is far from perfect. So how do you get to the Louvre in Paris?

The palace address is Musée du Louvre, 75058 Paris. It is located in the first arrondissement of Paris. You can get there by metro along lines 1 or 7 to the Palais-Royal/musée du Louvre station (by the way, you can get directly from the metro to the halls of the Louvre).

You can take the city bus, routes 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, 81, 95. And incorrigible romantics will love the François Mitterrand embankment stop.

Working hours

To plan your visit wisely, you need to know the museum's opening hours. The Louvre opens its doors at 9 a.m. every day except Tuesday (the museum is closed on this day). The working day ends at 6 pm on Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. And on Wednesday and Friday it is extended until 21-45 (for the convenience of afternoon visitors).

Live at the Louvre

Visiting the Louvre is great, and living in the Louvre is great. For those who hold in their hearts a love for the majestic royal palace, it is worth paying attention to the Louvre Hotel in Paris. It is located in the very center of the city, in an ancient building built in the Ottoman style. From the windows of the spacious rooms there is a marvelous view of the magnificent facade of the Louvre Museum, the Opera Garnier and the famous Comédie Française. All interior spaces are decorated in classic French style. On the ground floor there is the Brasserie du Louvre restaurant, famous for its amazing cuisine and truly Parisian atmosphere.

Living in the hotel is very convenient. Just a few steps away are all the main attractions of the capital: Place de la Concorde, Marais quarter, Notre Dame Cathedral.

Of course, everyone chooses where to stay, but perhaps in this hotel you will have a prophetic dream, like Charles or Napoleon many centuries ago...

For centuries, Paris has been and is considered one of the main European centers of culture and art. The cultural center of Paris itself can easily be called the Louvre, one of the oldest museums in the world, a rich repository of artistic and historical values.

From watchtower to museum

The history of the Louvre begins in 1190, when, by order of King Philip II Augustus, construction of a castle began on the banks of the Seine, guarding the approaches to the capital from the north-west. If necessary, a chain was stretched across the river, blocking navigation on the Seine. The castle was named Louvre, the tower on the opposite, left bank, to which the second end of the chain was attached - Nel.

The name "Louvre" is most often associated with the word "wolf" (loup), since wolves in the old days were the scourge of this area. A similar version derives the name of the tower from the French louvrier, wolfhound, or wolfhound. Some historians believe that the word "Louvre" comes from the Frankish lauer, "fortress".

The Louvre was a mighty fortress with a quadrangle in plan. Powerful towers rose in the corners; the height of the central donjon was 30 meters. The entire castle was surrounded by a 12-meter moat.

In 1317, the royal treasury was transported to the Louvre, and by the middle of the 14th century, the castle found itself within the new city walls, built by order of King Charles V, and lost its defensive significance. Charles started rebuilding the castle, to which two residential wings were added, and the towers were decorated with graceful pointed roofs. A new tower was built, into which the king moved his library of 973 manuscripts. This collection later became the basis of the National Library of France. After all the alterations were completed, the king moved to the Louvre.

In 1380, Charles died, and his successors rarely appeared in the capital, preferring the castles of the Loire, and the Louvre was empty. The new life of the castle began during the reign of Francis I, who decided to return the royal residence to Paris. In 1528, the donjon was dismantled and a garden appeared in its place. In 1546, work began to rebuild the castle into a luxurious palace. The architect Pierre Lesko was appointed to supervise the construction.

Lesko's project involved the construction of a palace consisting of three wings located on the sides of a quadrangular courtyard. On the fourth side, eastern, the courtyard was supposed to open towards the city center. Corner towers were replaced by pavilions decorated with columns and sculptures.

Lesko managed to complete the western wing of the Louvre Square Courtyard, named after him, and begin construction of the southern one. The Lescaut Wing is the oldest part of the Louvre and is a prime example of French Renaissance architecture.

In 1564, construction of the Tuileries Palace began next to the Louvre, intended for Queen Catherine de Medici. Henry IV connected the palaces with the Grand Gallery, in which merchants and artisans settled. He also laid the foundation for the Louvre collection by purchasing a number of works of art for the palace. Under Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu established a printing house and mint in the gallery.

Scattered handicraft workshops gradually turned into an organized manufactory in which luxury goods were produced. The Louvre complex was becoming cramped, so they decided to significantly expand it. The area of ​​the Square Courtyard was supposed to increase 4 times, a pavilion with three arched passages appeared in the middle of it, and a new building rose in the northern part of the square, repeating the “Lescaut wing” in its architecture.

The prosperity of France that came under Louis XIV was accompanied by enormous construction activity. The Louvre has undergone a major renovation. The south wing was doubled in size, new Lescaut-style buildings were added to it, and the Square Courtyard was turned into an enclosed space.

The main attention was paid to the eastern façade, facing the historical center of Paris. The three-story facade, erected in 1667-1673, was designed in the style of classicism. The construction was supervised by Claude Perrault, brother of the famous Charles Perrault. The total length of the facade was 170 meters. The lower floor served as a basement that supported a powerful colonnade. The columns stood in pairs, the window openings between them were enlarged, which made the halls lighter and visually more spacious. The building, framed by a colonnade, turned out to be extremely majestic, which is what the king required.

Louis was uncomfortable in the restless Paris, and soon after the completion of work on the Eastern Colonnade, the court moved to Versailles. Many buildings in the Louvre courtyard remained unfinished. The palace was empty. Sometimes officials from various institutions moved into his chambers, the premises were rented out for workshops, tenants, or even just homeless Parisians, moved in.

In 1750, there was even talk of demolishing the palace, but it was decided to use it to store the royal collection of works of art. Thus, in 1750, the Louvre became a museum, although not accessible to the general public.

Since 1789, the National Assembly met in the Louvre, which, after the abolition of the monarchy, declared the treasures stored here a national treasure. On August 10, 1793, the museum opened to the public. The exhibition was based on works of art that belonged to the crown, various valuables seized from French cathedrals and confiscated from aristocrats.

The Louvre received special attention from Napoleon. During his tenure, a major renovation of the building was carried out, and the collection increased immeasurably. Having traveled all over Europe with his army, having visited the cradles of ancient civilizations in Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean, Napoleon looked for historical and artistic treasures in every occupied city, the most remarkable of which he transferred to the Louvre. After the defeat of the Empire, many of the museum's exhibits were never returned.

During the era of the Second Empire, the “Richelieu wing” was added to the Louvre, but after its fall the ensemble suffered a loss - in 1871 the Communards burned the Tuileries. After dismantling the remains of the burnt building, the Louvre practically acquired its modern appearance. The latest addition to the palace was a glass pyramid in Napoleon's courtyard, covering the underground hall that houses the ticket office and the main entrance to the museum. Initially, its construction raised numerous objections, but today the decision is considered very successful, since the museum gained a spacious entrance without interfering with the historical appearance.

Anthology of world art

Today, the Louvre is the most famous museum on the planet, housing one of the world's richest collections of art and historical treasures from the last five millennia. Almost 10 million people come to admire the treasures of the Louvre every year.

In total, the museum's collection includes over 300 thousand items - paintings, sculptures, frescoes, jewelry, works of applied art, artifacts created by the most ancient civilizations of mankind. No more than 35 thousand exhibits are exhibited at the same time. The reason for this is not only the lack of free space (the total area of ​​the museum exceeds 160 thousand sq. m.). Many exhibits can be damaged by a long stay in the atmosphere of halls filled with spectators, so they are regularly put into storage. Paintings that are exhibited for no longer than three months in a row require especially reverent treatment.

When distributing exhibits among the halls, chronological and geographical principles are generally followed, but there are many exceptions. Often works of one master or one era are placed far from each other. The reason is that collections donated to the Louvre, out of respect for the donors, are not divided and are exhibited in their entirety.

The three wings of the palace in which the museum is located are named after Richelieu, Denon and Sully. The Louvre exhibition contains the following main sections:

In addition to three above-ground floors, the museum also has an underground floor, where anyone can touch fragments of the walls of the ancient fortress of the 12th century. History buffs will also be interested in the apartments of the last emperor of France, Napoleon III, located on the 2nd floor of the Richelieu wing.

The Louvre collection contains many exhibits of enduring artistic and historical significance, but even in such a representative collection, recognized masterpieces stand out. Let's look at them in more detail.

The main decoration of the Louvre is undoubtedly the famous “La Gioconda” (“Mona Lisa”) by Leonardo da Vinci, purchased from the author by Francis I, which is considered the most famous painting in the world. The hall in which the painting is exhibited is always packed with visitors. After the theft in 1911, the painting was protected by armored glass. The museum exhibits masterpieces of Renaissance painting by Raphael, Titian, Correggio and other famous masters. Among later works, the famous “The Lacemaker” by Jean Vermeer, as well as “The Coronation of Emperor Napoleon” and “Liberty Leading the People” by Jacques-Louis David stand out.

The most famous work of art from antiquity displayed in the Louvre is the Venus de Milo, which occupies the same place in the world of sculpture as the Mona Lisa in the world of painting. The statue was created in the Hellenistic era by Agesander from Antioch and is considered an ancient standard of beauty. Another famous statue, “Nike of Samothrace”, whose author is unknown, dates back to the same era. The sculpture was assembled literally piece by piece; a number of fragments are kept in the Louvre. For example, the goddess’s hand is displayed separately in a glass display case.

Two other decorations of the collection of sculptures are the statues “The Rising Slave” and “The Dying Slave” by Michelangelo, which are not inferior in expressiveness and skill to the famous “David”. The famous sculptural group “Cupid and Psyche” by Antonio Canova, the embodiment of sensuality in marble, is also exhibited here.

The crown jewel of the Louvre's ancient Egyptian collection is a statue of a seated Ramses II, one of Egypt's greatest pharaohs. A sculpture depicting a seated scribe is also exhibited here, a photograph of which can be found in any anthology on the history of ancient Egypt.

The Ancient East sector houses an exhibit of great interest to history buffs. This is the Stele of Hammurabi, the Babylonian king of the 18th century. BC e., carved from diorite. The stone depicts Hammurabi himself standing before the god Shamash, who hands the king a scroll. Below is the cuneiform text of 282 articles of the code of laws received by the king from God. This is the oldest legislative collection that has reached us.

Today's museum day

The Louvre's funds are constantly being replenished today. The museum has a “Society of Friends of the Louvre”, which, with the help of charitable organizations, various foundations and many enthusiasts around the world, is looking for exhibits worthy of the best museum in the world. Thus, the Louvre collection has recently been replenished with a number of archaeological finds, including the helmet of Charles VI, restored from fragments.

Due to overcrowding at the Louvre, it was decided to move some of its exhibits to branches. Currently, there are two such branches - in Abu Dhabi since 2009 and in Lens since 2012. The Lens Museum exhibits mainly exhibits from the Louvre; the branch in the Emirates leads a completely independent life, replenishing its funds on its own.

The infrastructure of the Louvre is constantly improving, its technical equipment keeps pace with the era. The focus is always on the visitor. Work is underway to reorganize visits to the museum, optimize excursion routes, and partially redesign the halls in accordance with the requirements of the time. In 1981, during the last restructuring, the number of visitors was about 3 million, but now their number has more than tripled. Work to modernize the museum is in full swing and is scheduled for completion in 2017.

The Louvre is in constant search for ways to improve, as, indeed, it has been throughout its history. It is thanks to this that the Louvre remains a model for all museums in the world.

The museum exhibits more than 35 thousand exhibits for tourists to view. If you stop at least for a minute near each one (without interrupting to sleep or eat), it will take more than a month, without taking into account the transitions from one exhibit to another.

To see the most outstanding and visited rooms, spend a whole day at the museum. If you have time, extend the tour for another couple of days. You will not regret!

The history of the world's richest museum

Located in the first arrondissement of the French capital, with an area of ​​160,106 square meters, the Louvre has become the most popular art museum in the world.

The Universal Museum has collected exhibits under its roof telling about history and art from ancient times to 1848. The geography of his collections is extensive: from Europe to Iran, including Greece, the Middle East, and Egypt. The museum contains collections: Ancient East, Ancient Greece, Etruria, Rome, Ancient Egypt, Islamic art, art objects, sculptures, graphic art, fine art.

The history of the Louvre begins with the reign of King Philip Augustus, who in 1190 built a castle-fortress to protect against Viking raids. Two centuries later, the Templars' property was transferred to the Order of Malta; in 1317, the king's treasury was transferred to the Louvre. Under the reign of Charles V, the castle became a royal residence. Francis I destroys the Great Tower of the castle (1528). Since 1546, the fortress has been transformed into luxurious apartments for the king.

Henry II, Charles IX continue the construction of the royal residence. Two wings were added to the building. By order of Henry IV in 1594, the Louvre merged with the Tuileries Palace. According to the design of the architect Lemercier, a square courtyard is being built. Louis Leveau quadruples the area of ​​the palace. 1667-1670 - according to the project of the architect Claude Perrault, the Colonnade of the Louvre is being built on its eastern facade.

Louis XIV moved his retinue to Versailles; in 1682, the construction of the castle stopped. In the 18th century, the idea of ​​creating a museum in the Louvre building was born. Work begins on the design of the structure. After the French Revolution, the reconstruction of the Louvre was led by Napoleon I. Percier and Fontaine, the king's architects, are building the northern wing along the Rue de Rivoli. Napoleon III completed it in 1852. Finally, the Louvre was built.

The siege of the Paris Commune caused the fire and destruction of the Tuileries (1871). After this, the appearance of the Louvre did not change. Only in 1989, according to the design of Yo Ming Pei, the center of the Napoleonic courtyard was decorated with a glass pyramid.

The museum received its first visitors on August 10, 1793. It featured 2,500 paintings. During the First Empire, the castle was called the Napoleon Museum.

Since the beginning of the museum's work, its funds have been replenished with a collection of Italian paintings by Francis I, and the acquisition of banker Everard Zhabakh - 200 canvases. The sculptures were donated by the Museum of French Sculpture. Baron Denon, the first director of the museum, replenished the Louvre with military trophies and finds of archaeologists from Egypt and the Middle East. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the museum’s funds were replenished through gifts, acquisitions or finds. For example, the Nike of Samothrace was found in parts on the island of Samothrace (Andrianople) in 1863 by archaeologist Charles Champoiseau.

Already at the beginning of the 21st century, the Louvre was overflowing with exhibits. The French government decides to open branches of the museum: Lens (northern France), Abu Dhabi (UAE).

The halls of the Louvre contain only 35 thousand exhibits, the remaining 265 thousand are in storage. For safety reasons, exhibits are not shown for more than three months in a row.

The Louvre, as well as the one adjacent to it, are symbols of France and its capital. It is not only the most visited, but also the largest museum in the world. Despite the fact that only the lower two floors are reserved for the museum, it is impossible to get around it in one day - it will take at least a week to view all the exhibits at a pace and without stopping.

A universal art museum - this is how the Louvre can be described. Here are collected paintings, sculptures, jewelry, remains of ceramics, in a word, everything that is of value to our descendants, that is, us, for many millennia before our birth.

Where is the Louvre

The Louvre is located in the first arrondissement of Paris, that is, in the very center. You can get into it from the street or from the Louvre - Rivoli metro station (line 1). on the map.

Opening hours of the Louvre

Tuesday is a day off. On other days from 9:00 to 18:00.
On Wednesday and Friday, the opening hours are extended until 21:45.
The Louvre is open on December 24 and January 31 from 9:00 to 17:00.
The Louvre is closed on these days: December 25, January 1, May 1.

Tickets to the Louvre

The ticket price is 15 euros. You can pay both in cash and by credit card.

Free entry to the Louvre is guaranteed (upon presentation of supporting documents):

• Persons under 18;
• Persons under 25 years of age living in the EU, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein;
• Teachers of art, art history and applied arts;
• Artists - members of the French House of Artists, or members of the AIAP.
• ICOM or ICOMOS cardholders;
• Unemployed and receiving benefits within the last 6 months;
• People with disabilities and their companions;

From October to March, every first Sunday of the month everyone has the opportunity to visit the Louvre for free!
Every Friday from 18:00 to 21:45 for persons under 26 years old - admission is free.
On Bastille Day, 14 July, admission is free.

Skip the line at the Louvre

There are several ways to get to the Louvre.

The first option is to stand in line at the main entrance at the Louvre pyramid.

The second way is to buy a ticket in advance and head to the separate entrance, which is located opposite the Pyramid (in the passage to the Palais Royal) towards the Rue de Rivoli.

And, the third, fastest way is to purchase tickets at the shopping center and follow the signs to the museum.

• (price: 35.00 €, 2 hours)
• (price: 170.00 €, 2 hours)
• (price: 20.00 €, 10 hours)

Walk through the Louvre

It is not surprising that all those who are not indifferent to history and art gather here. Average annual attendance is 10 million visitors! Since the exhibitions cover an area of ​​about 60 thousand square meters (just think!), you need to plan your visit in advance. You need to determine an interesting area for yourself, get a floor map of the Louvre (they give it to you for free at the entrance, you can also), plan your every step and calculate the time you will spend at each exhibit, so that it doesn’t turn out that you only saw a third of the entire section, because for a long time We stopped at several exhibits. And, of course, accept the fact that you won’t be able to see the entire Louvre in one go. Even if you set aside 10 hours, you'll have less than a second to view each exhibit.

Louvre Collection

We have described all the exhibitions especially for you.

Despite the fact that chronology and thematic sequence are observed within the walls of the Louvre, there are some exceptions. For example, collections donated to the Louvre are exhibited in their entirety, so some paintings will be scattered across several exhibitions.

Louvre exposition

A real treasury, where thousands of priceless masterpieces are stored in countless galleries, is the Louvre in Paris. There are so many works of art that a whole day is not enough to see all the sights.

The Louvre's rich collections, which include masterpieces of world art from different eras, will introduce visitors to outstanding creations of many civilizations and cultures.

Ancient East – Antiquites orientales

Established in 1881, this department houses a rich collection of monuments and objects made of gold, silver, bronze and clay, which are a reflection of the culture of the most ancient civilizations of the Middle East. All the exhibits presented here were created by different peoples over several millennia BC. The oldest of them dates back to 6,000 BC.

Paris flourished and grew, and almost two hundred years later, in 1356, an earthen rampart was built, far removed from the previous border. The Louvre was no longer an important defensive structure. But the fortress surrounded by a moat with four-meter walls attracted the attention of Charles V, who almost died during the Parisian uprising while in the less safe Concierge Palace.

In 1364, the architect Raymond du Temple began work on converting the fortress into a residence for the king. Crenellated towers were built, extensions and individual outbuildings were rebuilt into halls with huge windows, connected by external staircases. In the Book Tower, Charles V the Wise built a library that consisted of 900 volumes.

But the brief era of prosperity did not last long. Charles VI had already left the Louvre, and the fortress fell into sleep.

Francis I awakened the Louvre and breathed new life into it. This monarch brought the Renaissance to France from his campaigns; he patronized Leonardo da Vinci. Is it any wonder that, on his instructions, the talented architect Pierre Lescot completely rebuilt the fortress, demolishing the Great Tower and erecting a Renaissance-style palace in its place.

At the same time, a good tradition was born: each successive French monarch certainly made changes to the Louvre, completing it to his own taste. From the time of Francis I to the present day, the Lescaut Wing between the Square Court and the Napoleon Court has been preserved.

By the middle of the 16th century, the Louvre looked rather strange: heterogeneous buildings of recent years stood side by side with dilapidated old buildings. Catherine the Bloody Medici, in her characteristic harsh manner, demanded that the palace be completely rebuilt. And in 1564, construction began on the Tuileries, almost half a kilometer west of the Louvre. By 1610, already under Henry IV, the Louvre and the Tuileries were connected by a grandiose building - the Grand Gallery, whose length is 442 meters.

During the reign of Louis XIII, Car Carais was built, which became four times larger than the previous residence. And in 1624 the famous Clock Tower (Sully Pavilion) was erected. In the second half of the 17th century, two new wings appeared, which closed the huge courtyard of the Louvre.

The triumphant procession of the construction of the Louvre is crowned by the creation of the eastern façade designed by the brother of the famous storyteller Charles Perrault - Claude Perrault. The façade is a colonnade, designed in the style of mature classicism, and has since served as an ideal for the construction of public buildings throughout the world.

Another era of oblivion awaited the Louvre during the reign of Louis XIV, who survived the Parisian uprising as a child and since then disliked Paris and the Louvre. Under this monarch, the court moved to Versailles, and all construction work at the former residence was suspended. For some time, Louis even entertained the idea of ​​demolishing the Louvre, but, fortunately, he was dissuaded.

The idea of ​​turning the Louvre into a museum was born under Louis XV, but only came to fruition after the revolution. And in 1793, the doors of the Napoleon Museum were opened to visitors for the first time.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the museum's collection expanded incredibly with war trophies. This was the beginning of the world-famous collections of archaeological finds from Egypt and the Middle East.

Construction work was resumed and ended in the middle of the 19th century. Napoleon's court was finally decorated, and at the same time statues of people who glorified France appeared. Descartes, Rabelais, Voltaire, Richelieu, Abelard and other great thinkers and politicians were immortalized.

François Mitterrand began a new, modern stage of transformation of the Louvre in 1989. It was marked by the appearance of an unusual glass pyramid, which was designed by an American architect of Chinese origin, Yo Ming Pei. The controversy surrounding its appropriateness in the Louvre has been serious, no less than in its time regarding the Eiffel Tower. But one thing can be said with confidence: with her appearance, the number of visitors to the Louvre doubled. Well, apparently, it’s true that you need to visit the Louvre yourself, including in order to form your opinion about Pei’s pyramid.

The Louvre is an eternally young, living palace-museum. The tradition of constantly adding to it and making changes to keep up with the times has been preserved by the French to this day. At the same time, the atmosphere of past centuries is carefully preserved, and due to the museum’s collections of antiquity, one gets the feeling that the Louvre is the custodian of not only French, but also the entire world history. And, of course, you want to at least once stroll through its courtyards, walk through a glass pyramid, wander through medieval cellars, enjoy the tickling feeling caused by touching the secrets of antiquity, be captivated by the magnificent splendor of the Renaissance and pay tribute to the strict and majestic lines of the Classical era - everyone is in the Louvre will find that piece of history that will be close to him.

How to get there

The Louvre is a unique museum complex, one of the largest in the world. The exhibitions occupy 58,470 square meters, and the total area of ​​the museum is 160,106 m². The history of the Louvre is eventful, dating back approximately 700 years. Initially it was a fortress, which was later converted into a royal palace.

The Louvre was founded in the 12th century by Philip Augustus (King of France). Since its founding, the Louvre has undergone numerous renovations and reconstructions. All the French kings, who did not even live permanently in the Louvre, tried to introduce something new into the appearance of the building.

For King Philip Augustus, the Louvre was a fortress, the main task of which was to protect the western approaches to Paris, so the Louvre was a powerful structure with a central tower.

During the reign of Charles V, the fortress was turned into a royal residence. It was this king who initiated the reconstruction of the fortress into a building that would be suitable for the king’s stay. The idea was implemented by the architect Raymond de Temple, who also took care of the reliable protection of the king, surrounding the building with powerful fortress walls.

Around the end of the 18th century, all work on the construction of the Louvre was successfully completed.

The museum received its first visitors in November 1793. At first, the main source of replenishment of the Louvre's funds were the royal collections collected by Francis I and Louis XIV. At the time of the museum’s founding, the collection already included 2,500 paintings.

Today, the Louvre houses 350,000 exhibits, some of which are kept in storage.

Schedule:
Monday - 9:00-17:30
Tuesday - Closed
Wednesday - 9:00-21:30
Thursday - 9:00-17:30
Friday - 9:00-21:30
Saturday - 9:00-17:30
Sunday - 9:00-17:30

Official website of the museum: louvre.fr

Most Parisians consider the Louvre to be their top attraction. But the glass pyramid, designed by Chinese-American architect Yeo Ming Peo, according to townspeople, does not really fit with the Renaissance-style palace. This structure has the same parameters as the Egyptian pyramid of Cheops. Creates a feeling of space and light, and also acts as the main entrance to the museum.

Story

Historically, the architecture of the Louvre has always combined many styles. This was started by King Philip Augustus, who built a defensive fortress on the western border side of Paris in the 12th century. For one thing, it served as a repository for the royal archives and treasury.

Further, under King Charles the Fifth, it was transformed into royal apartments. Architects of the Renaissance period rebuilt the palace ensemble, trying to fulfill a virtually impossible goal - to satisfy the tastes of two kings: Francis the First and Henry the Fourth, whose statue now stands on the New Bridge. The main part of the fortress wall was destroyed and a huge gallery was built, which connected the Louvre with the Tuileries Palace, which still existed at that time.

At the beginning of the 17th century, Henry the Fourth, who had great sympathy for art, invited artists to live in the palace. He promised them spacious halls for workshops, homes and the rank of palace painters.

Louis XIV practically put an end to the prestige of the Louvre as the residence of kings. He moved to Versailles, along with the entire court, and artists, sculptors and architects settled in the Louvre. Among their number were Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin, Guillaume Coustou. It was then that the Louvre fell into such disrepair that plans began to be made for its demolition.

At the end of the French Revolution, the Louvre became known as the Central Museum of Art. At the same time, Napoleon the Third will bring into reality what Henry the Fourth dreamed of - the Richelieu wing was added to the Louvre. It became a mirror image of the Haut-Bor-de-l'Eau gallery. But the Louvre did not become symmetrical for long - during the Paris Commune, the Tuileries Palace burned down, and along with it a large part of the Louvre.

Collection

Today, the Louvre has more than 350 thousand works of art, and approximately 1,600 employees who organize the functioning of the museum. The collection is located in three wings of the building: the Richelieu wing is located along the Rue de Rivoli; The Denon wing runs parallel to the Seine and a square courtyard surrounds the Sully wing.

Ancient East and Islam. The halls display objects of ancient art from the regions from the Persian Gulf to the Bosphorus, in particular Mesopotamia, the countries of the Levant and Persia.

The Louvre's collection includes more than 55,000 pieces of ancient Egyptian art. The exhibition demonstrates the results of the crafts of the ancient Egyptians - stuffed animals, papyri, sculptures, talismans, paintings and mummies.

Art of Ancient Greece, Etruscans and Ancient Rome. These are the fruits of creative searches in recreating a person and a special vision of beauty. Actually, it is these halls that present the main sculptural treasures of the Louvre - those that museum visitors usually want to see first. These are statues of Apollo and the Venus de Milo, dating back to the hundredth year BC, as well as the statue of the Nike of Samothrace, which was found in the form of 300 fragments a thousand years after its creation.

Arts and crafts are displayed on the second floor. You will see all kinds of objects: the throne of Napoleon the First and unique tapestries, miniatures, porcelain and jewelry, fine bronze and even royal crowns.

The ground and first floors of the Richelieu wing and the Denon wing are occupied by an extensive collection of works of French sculpture, as well as a small number of exhibits from Italy, Holland, Germany, and Spain. Among them are two works by the great Michelangelo, which are called “The Slave”.

The Louvre houses one of the world's most extensive collections of paintings, and naturally, the French school is represented in the museum most comprehensively.

Mona Lisa

The main work that tourists primarily want to see is the Mona Lisa (La Gioconda) by Leonardo da Vinci. This painting is located in the Denon wing, in a separate small room - the Salle des Etas, which can only be accessed from the Grand Gallery.

This room was built quite recently, specifically to make it convenient for tourists to view the most recognizable painting in the world without bumping into each other, although it is kept behind two layers of glass.

The painting was painted over 500 years ago and was da Vinci's favorite work. There is an opinion that Leonardo painted a self-portrait in women's clothing, and it combines two principles - yin and yang. If you look into Mona Lisa's eyes, the chin appears in the distant zone of vision, which gives the impression of an elusive smile. And if you look at the lips, the smile disappears and this is where its mystery lies.

Despite its greatness, La Gioconda itself is even smaller in size than its reproductions in the souvenir shops of the Louvre.