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The Louvre ( English: / ˈluːv ( rə )/ LOOV (-rə) ), [4] or the Louvre Museum (French: Musée du Louvre [myze dy luvʁ] ⓘ ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement (district or ward) and home to some of the ...
- The Museum Started Out as A Fortress.
- Philip’s Fortress Was Razed to Make Way For A Royal Residence.
- The Buildings of The Louvre Were Once Left Abandoned and rotting.
- The Mona Lisa Hasn’T Always Been on Display at The Louvre.
- Napoleon Bonaparte Temporarily Renamed The Museum After himself.
The Louvre began life in the late 12th century when Philip II (or Philip Augustus), the first person to be officially known as the King of France and one of medieval Europe’s most successful rulers, began construction on a defensive outpost near what was then the western border of Paris, along the bank of the River Seine. Designed to prevent invasi...
Charles V first modified the building’s original design in the 14th century, but the Hundred Years War derailed his more extensive plans for the Louvre. With successive monarchs opting to set up house elsewhere, the Louvre fell into disuse until 1527, when Francis I ordered the demolishment of the original structure in favor of a lavish new Renaiss...
Following the completion of the Palace of Versailles, the French court shifted its base away from Paris and the Louvre, leaving the building unfinished and in eventual disrepair. Those buildings that remained open eventually played host to a series of cultural groups that included painters, sculptors and writers as members. After more than a centur...
A number of da Vinci works would find their way into Francis I’s collection, including La Giaconda, one of the world’s most famous paintings. According to French folklore, Francis was even at da Vinci’s bedside when he died and following the artist’s death in 1519 , the king purchased the painting from an assistant. However, instead of gracing the ...
When Napoleon came to power he had the complex renamed in his honor, and soon the Musée Napoleon was overflowing with the artistic spoils of war as Bonaparte’s Grand Army swept across the continent. Among the cultural artifacts that made their way to Paris were hundreds of paintings and sculptures, including a set of antique bronze horses from the ...
Feb 9, 2010 · In the 1980s and 1990s, the Grand Louvre, as the museum is officially known, underwent major remodeling. Modern museum amenities were added and thousands of square meters of new exhibition space ...
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- It was originally a defensive fort. The Louvre was built when Philippe II of France was getting ready to leave for the Crusades, according to the museum’s website.
- But the kings liked it too much. By the 1500s, then-king Francois I decided he wanted to spend more time in the capital. In 1528 he issued an official decree stating that the Louvre would be his main residence, according to the museum.
- The art museum is a product of the French Revolution. Just four years after the outbreak of the French Revolution, “the revolutionary government opened the Musée Central des Arts in the Grande Galerie of the Louvre,” writes History.com.
Jun 12, 2024 · Louvre, national museum and art gallery of France, housed in part of a large palace in Paris that was built on the right-bank site of the 12th-century fortress of Philip Augustus. It is the world’s most-visited art museum, with a collection that spans work from ancient civilizations to the mid-19th century.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Mar 4, 2018 · The Louvre Fortress. In the late 12th century, King Philippe Auguste decided to fortify Paris with a wrap-around wall. While most of the barrier fit neatly around the city, the Seine River left parts of the border open to invaders. To make up for a particularly weak spot, Philippe Auguste opted to construct a castle next to the wall.
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May 28, 2021 · 1940: Nazi soldier pretty underwhelmed by remaining collection. 1957: Mona Lisa placed behind bulletproof glass after unsuccessful assassination attempt. 1980: Following expensive restoration of hundreds of paintings, Louvre begins forbidding visitors from touching or licking the art. 1993: Museum celebrates 200 years of French art and culture ...
