The Louvre

The Louvre is the world’s largest museum,

a classical building that is located between the Seine and Rue de Rivoli. It is one of the most beautiful places of Paris. It extends for 1 km (0.6 mi) and when it was built was the largest palace in the world. Born as a museum, a month after the death of Marie Antoinette, at a time leaders of the Revolution decided that the people also deserve to enjoy art, including the royal collection. The 18th century was very bad for the Louvre, there were lots of animals in the aisles sharing rooms with works of art, Napoleon ended up with this situation and restored the palace giving it to former glory and that holds up to today. Napoleon has endowed the Louvre from the works of many expeditions abroad. In the 1980s, the president François Mitterand has decided to innovate giving a glass pyramid to Louvre, the measure was very controversial at the time but now is well accepted and integral part of the exterior of the museum. The museum has about 400 000 works but not all are exposed. The collections are divided into eight parts, including Eastern Antiquities, Egyptian Antiquities, Antiquities Greek, Etruscan and Roman, Islamic Art, sculptures and paintings. The Denon Wing of the Louvre is the most visited, is there that is exposed to the collection of Italian masterpieces which includes the Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Check the Louvre official website to get more information about the timetable and the prices. Hotels in Paris

Hotels close: Hôtel de Vendôme;

Metro Station: Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre; Louvre – Rivoli.

Opening Hours

Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday: 9AM – 6 PM

Wednesday and Friday: 9AM – 9.45PM

Tuesday is closed

Tickets (check the official website as prices may change)

Permanent collection – 12€; Combined ticket – 16€; Under 18, 18-25 residents in European Economic Area and disabled visitor – free entrance.

Wednesday and Friday tickets after 6PM – 6€

Official website

Where is the Louvre on Map of Paris

The most famous painting of the world

The building

Inside