One of the largest museums in the world, and possibly the most famous of them all is the Louvre.
Situated in the 1st arrondissement, at the heart of Paris, this palace is both from an architectural point of view as from an arts perspective one of the must see sights in Paris. It displays about 300,000 works, among them some world-famous like the Mona Lisa from Leonardo da Vinci, Venus de Milo and Winged Victory. The first time the immense collection was displayed was in 1789, during the revolution when the Revolutionary Committee decided to open the King’s arts collection to the public.
History
The Louvre was built in several stages. It was first built in the sixteenth century when the Royal family started to move near the fortress of the Louvre. The original keep was then destroyed and it was replaced by a palace. The main architect was Pierre Lescot, who was appointed in 1546 by the king. The immense building had 2 courtyards and was 2 stories high. Its architecture combines French and Italian features.
About a decade later, Catherine de Medici started with another palace project, the Tuileries on the west side of the Louvre. Later, during the second empire, between 1853 and 1857, the Louvre was massively extended by Visconti and Lefuel.
Glass Pyramid
The latest addition to the Louvre was the glass pyramid entrance, one of the finest examples of a combination of modern and historic architecture.
On request of the late French President Mitterrand, it was designed by the renowned American architect I.M. Pei. The glass pyramid allows the sunlight to come in on the underground floor. It has received mixed reviews, as it contrasts sharply with the design of the surrounding buildings.