A medieval defensive fortress when it was first built in 1190, the Louvre then became the palace and residence of the kings of France until the departure of Louis XIV in 1678.
A medieval defensive fortress when it was first built in 1190, the Louvre then became the palace and residence of the kings of France until the departure of Louis XIV in 1678.
Almost all the sovereigns who have occupied the place have left their personal mark on it, through enlargement and embellishment work, until it became one with the Tuileries, now destroyed. After the French Revolution, the Louvre became a museum.
Opened in 1793, it was intended to be universal. It is still universal, thanks to its priceless collections and the immense 135,000 m2 of space in which they are housed. With more than 9 million visitors per year, it is the most visited museum in the world with such a vast choice that it would take at least 96 hours to admire everything, spending only 10 seconds in front of each work! The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is of course its jewel with more than 20,000 people admiring it every day.
And in the courtyard, another wonder appeared in 1989 with the glass pyramid by Ieoh Ming Pei. Despite its rich past, the Louvre is always in step with the times, even if it means being a few years ahead of its time.
Dive into the first Arsène Lupin adventure written by Maurice Leblanc.
