Palais du Louvre

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Guides : Monuments in Paris,
Geographic : europe, france, paris,
Thematic : monument, old-building,

This is the Palace of the Kings of France, filled with history from the Middle Ages right up to the 3rd Millennium. The Palais du Louvre (today, the Louvre Museum), was built on a site called "Lupara", a name which, according to historians, comes either from the Old French "lauer" which means watchtower, or from the Saxon "leovar", fortified castle. This area dates back to the 5th Century, to the era when King Clovis tried to repulse the Anglo-Saxon invasions. The first known fortress was erected in the 12th Century, during the reign of Philippe-Auguste, in order to protect the town from the attacks of the Plantagenets. The building consists of a medieval dungeon, 31 metres high and 19 metres wide, and already had the name of Louvre.
Extended under the reign of Philippe le Bel, it was not until the reign of Charles V that the fortress became a royal residence: the building was transformed into a château, with notably a large spiral staircase, called "La Grande Vis" (The Great Screw), decorated with the image of the royal family. The beautifully preserved remains of this château are included in the tour. Damaged during the Hundred Years War, it was only during the reign of François I that its reconstruction was undertaken. He had the ancient dungeon destroyed, and entrusted Pierre Lescot with the creation of a quadrangular courtyard.

As for Catherine de Médicis, she had the Palais des Tuileries built, and the gardens laid out in French style. However, this construction effort was cut back for a while under the reign of Louis XIV who transferred the royal residence from the Louvre to the Château de Versailles. Nevertheless, the King's Superintendent of Buildings, Colbert, entrusted the organisation of the gardens to André Le Nôtre and ensured that the colonnade on the exterieur façade was built. Furthermore, one can see there the monogram of Louis XIV, comprised of two Ls side by side. The Louvre gradually fell into disuse and deteriorated. Only in 1791, did the Assembly vote for a museum to be established at the Louvre. It was Napoleon III who gave the building its final appearance thanks to the architects Visconti and Lefuel, who created an area for administration which would be used up until the 1980s. Unfortunately, the Louvre's northern wing as well as the Tuileries were burnt down during the Commune. Spurred on by François Mitterrand, the Palace took on the look of a welcoming museum with the Pyramid by Pei.

Things to see:
The building itself
The Palace's arches
The square courtyard of the Louvre
The Louvre's modern pyramid
The statue of Louis XIV
The Louvre's Carousel
The view over the Jardin des Tuileries

Things to do:
Visit the museum
Dine at the Café Marly under the arcade

Nearby:
The Jardin des Tuileries
The shops of "Louvre des Antiquaires" (antique dealer arcade)
Rue Saint Honoré and its luxury boutiques
The Palais-Royal and its gardens

Palais du Louvre Informations:

Paris, France
See Palais du Louvre on the map