The Louvre
The Louvre is the most visited museum and arguably the most renowned museum in the world
There are few museums anywhere in the world that have attracted more attention than the Louvre. The world's most visited museum, the Louvre is home to in excess of 35000 pieces of art dating from the earliest times to the 19th century and displayed in an exhibition space covering an amazing 650,000 square feet. Some famous pieces of art include The Madonna and Leonardo da Vinci’s Saint Anne, however there are literally thousands more works of art and historical pieces for visitors to view.
The Louvre has a lengthy and interesting history. During the 12th century, Paris was Europe's largest city. To protect the capital from the Anglo Norman threat king, Philippe Auguste, who was reigning at that time, decided to build a garrison to reinforce its western defences on the shores of the River Seine. The large fortress comprised of a moat, a huge tower at the centre of the structure plus other towers encompassed narrow gates at the wall on south and east sides. The solid building had two inner buildings butt against the exterior walls on the south and west sides. This magnificant structure lost its ability to be Paris' defence fortress as the city grew far beyond the original wall by the mid 14th century. Other defences were developed under King Charles V which enclosed the Louvre within the expanding city. In 1364 he commissioned his architect, Raymon du Temple, to transform the ancient garrison into a splendid royal mansion.
Each section of the Louvre has its story to tell and bears the mark of a different influential personality. The Louvre was turned into a museum in 1791 and first opened its doors as such in 1793. The first pieces on display were works of art that were donated or loaned by families that could afford to do so. Since then, the Louvre has simply grown in splendour and has had many galleries added and renovations done to turn it into the amazing museum that it is today.
The Louvre, as with most famous museums, offers floor plans, audio guides and guide books to visitors. It also features a number of cafes, media centres and even a bookstore for those that wish to bring a little of the Louvre home with them. The Tuileries Gardens offer a number of activities for the restless little ones who may not enjoy taking in the art of the Louvre as much as their parents. Instead, they can be amused with boat rides and trampolines and other play area activities in the gardens.
Nearby attractions: Jardin des Tuileries and Museum of Decorative Arts
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: Save time and skip the queueThe Louvre Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Address: 75001 Paris, France
Phone: 01 40 20 53 17
Official Website: The Louvre
The Louvre Reviews
Rated out of 5
Such a beautiful place! The views are amazing at any angle! The courtyard, the garden and surrounding buildings are absolutely breathtaking. Spend some time, if you're going into the museum I would make a day of it as there is so much to see inside! The garden in the front also boasts seating and little shacks of food to eat as well! So much to see and do!
Shauna Toretto - a month ago
Visited on a bright February day. It's a stunning building. Enjoyed a glass of wine before joining a timed entrance que. You could spend hours inside. All exhibits are well sign posted and you are free to wander round after going through security.
ann cowperthwaite - in the last week
Awesome experience. If you plan on exploring the entire museum in 1 day, prepare to be disappointed. My advice would be to prioritize the exhibits you want to see and map those out accordingly. It's literally impossible to see everything in one visit, so if you must, then plan on multiple visits.
Mike Mason - a week ago
This is a truly massive place. As you glide by on the Seine, it gives the impression of being the longest building in Paris. We were thinking of entering through the 'Lion's gate' as we had heard the lineups were not as long, but then the museum was oddly closed during our brief stay. We did wander through the courtyard and admired the carvings and statues on the roof.
Graham Tranter - a week ago
Unique place! It’s probably the only museum in the world where you can see European paintings and sculptures, an Egyptian mummy and sarcophagus, and prehistoric Islamic artifacts all in one location.
We spent six hours there, and there was still so much left to see.
The building is enormous, making it easy to get lost. I highly recommend buying tickets in advance and planning exactly what you want to see.
Andrii Nyvchyk - a week ago
Directions
| Metro / RER Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| M1 or M7 | Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre | 3 minutes |
How to get to The Louvre by Metro / RER
By Metro: From Metro Line 1 or 7 exit at Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre Station and proceed to your right (west) along Rue de Rivoli and then cross the road to your left and proceed through the arches at Place du Corrousel. The entrance to the the Louvre is in the Glass Pyramid ahead and to your left.
The Louvre is also easily accessed from the Batobus.
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Accommodations near The Louvre:
Photo Gallery
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One of many expansive halls exhibiting paintings by the masters inside The Louvre cc licensed photo by vic15 -
Photo Credit: Patrik Seiler - cc license via Flickr -
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Photo Credit: RyanSMcKee - cc license via Flickr -
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Photo Credit: Christopher Dart - cc license via Flickr -
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Photo Credit: Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. - cc license via Flickr
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