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The Grand Louvre
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The Grand Louvre
Metro: Tuileries
If you were to walk around the Louvre building outside, it would take you 45 minutes. It is impossible to visit everything the museum has to offer in one day. It is the biggest museum in the world. The first building was a fortress and was built at the start of the 13th century. It was later renovated by the kings. Charles V turned it into a 'modern' residence and François I had it demolished as it no longer served any official purpose. On the Cour Carré you can still see the paved original walls.
Bit by bit, the new Louvre was built. In 1564 a palace was built and in 1870 the Louvre was finished. One year later it almost went up in flames together with the Palais des Tuileries. In 1989 the glass pyramid was created. It is 35 metres wide and 21 metres tall. It is now the main entrance to the Louvre. The art collection of this museum is unique and includes more than 200,000 pieces. At the Louvre, you can find Greek, Roman and Ancient Egyptian objects, Oriental art, sculptures, paintings and furniture from the Middle Ages.
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Major conversion works at the Louvre
The glass pyramid on the inner courtyard of the museum has been the Grand Louvre's main entrance since May 1989. Many feel it is a modern eyesore in a historic environment, but the construction is only a small part of all the buildings that made the Louvre the biggest museum in the world. The basements used to be crammed with valuable works of art that couldn't be shown due to a lack of space. The museum was also lacking a significant entrance.
In 1981 the Ministry of Finance left the Louvre. It was a defining moment for President Mitterrand, who was now able to give the Louvre the grandeur it deserved. First the historical axis from the Arc de Triomphe to the Louvre was redeveloped. The avenue Gen. Lemonnier was moved underground and the inner courtyard was restored.
It was architect Pei's idea to construct basements under the entire inner courtyard and to create the main entrance there. The entrance was to be a work of art using the incidence of light through a large pyramid and two smaller ones. The large pyramid is 21 metres tall. Its light effect is increased by 7 ponds surrounding it. The main entrance replaces 40 different entrances and receives about 20,000 visitors a day.
Website: www.louvre.fr
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Picture: © iStockphoto.com/Alexei Nabarro
Text: GVDV - © AT-Europe bvba
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