Louvre Museum in Paris information and interesting facts

Louvre Museum is one of the most beautiful art museums we have visited in the world.

The Louvre is the most recognizable museum in the world. With its over three hundred thousand works of art, it is also one of the largest institutions of its kind. It is divided into three wings surrounding the courtyard of Napoleon Bonaparte. Eight main sections of the giant museum are distributed within them.

The entire exhibition area of the Louvre covers over 55 square kilometres of halls, galleries, corridors, and underground spaces packed to the brim with works of art. Exhibits from almost all epochs and parts of the world are gathered here.

Louvre Museum in Paris, palace of art

The most popular exhibitions include collections from Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Other very popular sections are exhibitions of French and Italian painting. In vast halls, sculptures and statues by the most well-known artists are displayed alongside paintings.

However, the Louvre is not only about the gathered artworks but also about its beautiful architecture. The current appearance of the museum is owed to the French king Louis XIV. He was an avid art lover and collector. It was his idea to create a grand gallery and gather the most beautiful works from around the world.

The idea was realized and remained unchanged until the 1980s. During the “Grand Louvre” project, the underground areas were renovated, and a huge main entrance in the form of a glass pyramid was created. Thanks to this, the Louvre almost doubled its surface area.

However, what we can see in the museum rooms is only about ten percent of all the collected exhibits. Unfortunately, the rest lies tightly sealed in wooden crates somewhere in the dark basements of the complex.

The Louvre Pyramid, a controversial structure in the famous Parisian museum

The main entrance in the form of a glass pyramid was completed in the late 1980s and initially sparked immense dislike among the residents of Paris. Voices arose claiming it was a completely unfitting element for the palace’s architecture. It was argued that the pyramid was too modern and spoiled the museum’s atmosphere. Various conspiracy theories emerged to explain such a strange construction.

Someone once counted the glass elements of the pyramid, and the number came out to be 666, supposedly indicating the project’s religious origins. Later, it turned out to be untrue, as there were slightly more elements in the construction.

Still, there are those who consider the glass pyramid at the Louvre as a mystical construction, meant to protect dangerous and magical works of art hidden deep beneath the floor of the main hall, located inside the pyramid.

The temperature was further heated by Dan Brown’s book titled “The Da Vinci Code.” It’s a thriller skilfully blending truth with fiction to the extent that it gained fervent fans who believed in the stories told there.

The book, as well as the film featuring Tom Hanks, is literary fiction, but it touched upon such a sensitive topic that even the Polish Episcopal Conference issued a statement regarding the truthfulness of the information contained therein.

Louvre Museum often appears in the media

By the way, if you enjoy a good laugh, I recommend a fun book written by Toby Slements titled “Code StraVinci.” It’s a parody of Dan Brown’s original and quite amusing.

But let’s get back to the legends circulating around the Louvre. One of the gentlemen working in the museum confirmed that there is a grand hall there, accessible only to a handful of chosen ones. He also said that over the past few years, the Pope visited the museum several times and visited in solitude a hidden and well-guarded place on the lowest level of the museum.

We haven’t seen the Pope ourselves, but during numerous travels, we’ve heard even stranger stories.

How to buy tickets without spending several hours in line

Tickets to the Louvre start at just a few euros per person, but the price isn’t the main issue when it comes to getting into the museum. It’s the massive crowds of tourists wanting to see, just like us, the world’s most famous artworks.

The Louvre is one of the most visited museums in the world. Every day, the palace corridors are flooded with real crowds. This means that the queues to the ticket counters stretch far across the Napoleon Courtyard. We experienced this first-hand the day after arriving in Paris, when we showed up at the museum in the morning.

Naively, we thought that getting up early would help us avoid the naturally lazy tourists. Not at all. From 8 a.m. onwards, long queues start forming. The only option is to stand in one of them and wait for your turn, or buy tickets online.

I recommend buying tickets to the museum online

Tickets purchased online have a specific time slot for entry into the museum. When we tried to buy them in the morning, standing in the square in front of the glass pyramid, we found out that the nearest available time was 2:00 p.m., which for a place like the Louvre, is definitely too late in the day.

We had no choice but to buy tickets for the next day. This gave us time to stroll around romantic Paris.

The next day, early in the morning, we returned to the Napoleon Bonaparte square, between the long wings of the palace spanning over 800 meters. This time, however, we already had tickets. Guided by envious glances from people waiting in line at the ticket counters, we entered the glass pyramid almost queue-free.

The main hall of the museum is impressive, vast, and monumental. From here, stairs lead to the three wings of the museum. But before we begin our tour of the Louvre, I must tell you its interesting history.

The history of the Louvre Museum

Before the grand structure became a palace, and its halls filled with works of art, there stood a fortress here, meant to defend access to the city. It was a time of crusades and significant changes across Europe. Power changed hands as quickly as treaties were broken.

The Normans conquered one country after another in the north, hardly stopping. By that time, their sleek ships had already landed on the shores of Britain. From the decks of the boats, armoured knights descended onto the land and marched inland, using fire and sword to enforce their will.

The French were eager to avoid a similar scenario at any cost, and there was no shortage of those willing to conquer. Therefore, castles, keeps, fortresses, and mighty fortifications were built. Among them, on the banks of the Seine, the Louvre castle arose to defend Paris for the next two hundred years.

Reconstruction of the Louvre Museum to the form we know today

The storm of war eventually quieted, and authority strengthened enough for people to stop fearing. Some castles lay deserted, while others, like the Louvre, were rebuilt. In the 14th century, under the reign of Charles V the Wise, it became the residence of the Kings of France. 200 years later, Francis I, weary of the austerity of the military structure, ordered another reconstruction. In place of the old barracks and defensive towers, a beautiful Renaissance palace arose.

The passion for art of successive rulers of France contributed to the enlargement of the collections gathered in the palace. Moreover, the French court acted as a patron for young and talented artists. Paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, including the famous Mona Lisa, appeared. Many works found their way to the palace as gifts from other rulers of Europe and the world, including successive popes.

Over time, it was recognized that the Louvre was too modest a residence for the increasingly powerful French rulers. In 1672, Louis XIV moved with his entourage to Versailles, leaving behind the rich art collections at the Louvre.

The first exhibition in the Louvre in Paris

The first exhibition was opened at the end of the seventeenth century. Only nobly born residents of France could view the works gathered in the palace.

This changed after the successful French Revolution. Once most of the nobility and courtiers had been executed, looting of mansions and palaces began. Imagine bands of peasants with hammers trying to chip away at pieces of old sculptures, thinking they would be worth something.

Villagers warmed themselves by fires, in which they burned old paintings in gilded frames and stylish furniture. There were even instances of violence against paintings depicting nude women. It would have taken just a few days for the mob to turn the capital of world culture into a burning ruin.

When the new government, now called the National Assembly, realized that the words “everything for the people” sounded good only on paper, they issued a decree to protect monuments and transformed the Louvre Palace into a museum.

The first opening of the Louvre Museum

The Louvre was opened on August 10, 1793, marking the first anniversary of the fall of the French monarchy. Initially, people were allowed in for free, but the costs of maintaining such a giant institution forced the authorities to introduce fees.

However, three days a week, the Louvre could still be visited free of charge. Poor artists were granted permission to present their works in selected museum halls. Many of them gained fame and recognition over time thanks to this opportunity.

Initially, the exhibits consisted of artworks confiscated from the nobility and church dignitaries. However, when Napoleon began to realize his great dream of world domination, the number of exhibits suddenly increased.

Napoleon’s spoils of war, which can be seen in the Louvre Museum

Convoys carrying war spoils flowed down the wide river to the Louvre and other museums in France. Although after the fall of the empire, some looted goods had to be returned, something remained in the vaults.

Over time, the collections expanded with artworks from private donations by collectors and purchases by the museum itself. From the initial few hundred paintings, it quickly grew to twenty thousand. Today, the museum’s collection comprises over three hundred thousand pieces of various artworks and crafts.

In the late thirties of the previous century, fear of war forced the museum authorities to evacuate. For weeks, artworks were packed and transported away. When the Germans entered Paris, the Louvre was empty, and the commander of the occupying forces, hoping for an incredible war plunder, suffered a nervous breakdown.

Visiting the Louvre Museum is a complicated pleasure

If we don’t have a whole week to explore the Louvre, it’s wise to consider what we don’t want to see. Are we not interested in works by the French Impressionists? Or perhaps Italian Mannerist works are too bold for us? We cross them off the list and move on.

In places like the Louvre, or the previously mentioned American Museum of Natural History in New York, having a good plan is crucial. Running from exhibition to exhibition just to check off as many artworks as possible doesn’t accomplish anything. I assure you, the whole expedition will be remembered as a jumble of colourful paintings and a mass of similar sculptures.

Let’s not kid ourselves, most people visiting museums want to see the most famous works stored there. In the case of the Louvre, the list is so long that we had to cut out a lot even from the most well-known paintings and sculptures.

Our route was based on a simple principle: to see the most valuable artworks exhibited in the Louvre. We partly succeeded, but we couldn’t reach everywhere, and many paintings simply eluded us.

Works of art in the Louvre Museum that you must see

Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci in the Louvre Museum in Paris

The Mona Lisa is one of the most popular paintings exhibited at the Louvre. People from all over the world flock to Paris just to see this painting. We met a couple from Australia who flew to France mainly to see da Vinci’s famous work.

The painting was created on wood, not on canvas as is commonly believed. During the creation of the artwork, master Leonardo adhered to all the requirements imposed by the Italian Renaissance at that time. The painting was first displayed in 1507. It was supposed to be received by one of the wealthy Florentine merchants, but he never did, and it is still unknown whether it was his decision or if the artist decided to keep the painting for himself.

Before the Mona Lisa hung in the Louvre, it travelled a long way and often changed hands. Eventually, the painting returned to France, purchased by King Francis I. However, it did not adorn any famous exhibition but hung in the royal bathroom. Due to such neglectful treatment, the painting lost many details. Much later, the Mona Lisa hung in Napoleon’s bedroom, and from there, after the emperor’s defeat, it returned to the Louvre.

The Louvre Museum and Mona Lisa in the 20th century

In the early 20th century, the painting was cleverly stolen and equally cleverly recovered. However, one of the conspiracy theories suggests that an exact copy returned to the Louvre, and the original was never found.

The value of the artwork is difficult to determine. Nearly 50 years ago, during the transfer of the painting, the insurance amount was valued at one hundred million dollars. Today, it is much higher. The painting is shrouded in many mysteries and conspiracy theories. One of them concerns the extraordinary smile of the model. Perhaps I am blind to the subtle nuances that the artist wanted to convey to us because I did not notice anything mysterious in the smile of the young lady.

The painting is exhibited in one of the large galleries in the Denon wing. It is placed behind bulletproof glass and protected by a mechanism that, in case of any danger, moves the painting to a vault located several tens of meters underground.

Although it is easy to approach the artwork from a distance of about 3 meters from the right and left sides, massive queues form just to stand directly in front of the painting and take a cute selfie. Looking at this, one might get the impression that the smile of the lady in the painting is not mysterious at all, but rather ironic.

Nike of Samothrace goddess of victory in the Louvre Museum in Paris

Nike is the Greek goddess of victory, the guardian of heroes and warriors. In mythology, she was a representative of the pantheon of gods from an older generation than the famous Olympians. Her father was the Titan Pallas, and her mother was a goddess from the underworld.

The figure of Nike is depicted as a young and quite graceful girl with wings. This is also the case with the sculpture adorning the top of the stairs leading to the Denon wing in the Louvre. Unfortunately, the woman’s figure is damaged, lacking, among other things, arms and a head.

The sculpture was found on the island of Samothrace in the 19th century. It is believed to have been made in the 3rd century BC. We were impressed by the detail of the marble-carved figure. One might get the impression that the girl is standing on the prow of a boat during a storm, and the wind is tugging at her flowing and wet garment, it looks fantastic.

Venus de Milo ancient beauty

The sculpture of Venus standing in Room 16 in the Denon wing was found on the island of Milos and is approximately the same age as the Nike of Samothrace. The beautiful Venus arrived in France thanks to a certain sailor who brought her from Turkey in 1821. At the time of purchase, the statue was reportedly complete and the most beautiful of women, with both hands intact.

Unfortunately, before the ship reached France, it battled a powerful storm and many other obstacles, resulting in the statue being damaged. To this day, it is not known why not all of its parts were preserved.

As we know from Roman mythology, Venus was a beautiful goddess of love. The Greeks called her Aphrodite and, besides love, she was associated with spring and rich vegetation.

The statue is beautiful, although the beauty of the girl it represents deviates from today’s standards of female beauty. However, I believe that many of today’s beauties could draw inspiration from the style and modesty encapsulated in the works of ancient masters.

Cupid and Psyche from the Louvre Museum

The sculpture depicting Psyche awakened by Cupid fits thematically with the two sculptures mentioned earlier. It portrays the beautiful Psyche in the arms of her beloved god, Eros.

During the times when my friends and I were engrossed in Greek myths, the one telling of Psyche’s love for Cupid was a favourite among the female members of our group. It tells the story of a beautiful girl seduced by Eros. Initially, he was ordered by the jealous Aphrodite to make the girl fall in love with the ugliest of men.

However, as is often the case in romances, the god himself fell in love with the girl. But she angered him with her disobedience, and he abandoned her. In despair, Psyche set out into the world and ended up in the service of Aphrodite, who made her household drudge.

However, over time, the goddess of love grew fond of the girl, and at her request, Zeus granted Psyche immortality. Now, without any hindrance, her beloved Eros could marry her.

The sculpture of Psyche and Cupid standing in the Louvre is one of three sculptures made in the early 19th century. The second one stands in the famous Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg (visiting the Hermitage is my great dream). The third sculpture adorns the Museum of Art in New York. Clever, isn’t it? To create three similar works and sell them to the three greatest museums in the world.

Sleeping Hermaphrodite from the Louvre Museum

The Roman sculpture depicts a beautiful, seemingly girl. However, upon closer inspection of the model’s anatomy, we can see that this is not entirely true. In the times of the Greek city-states, hermaphrodites were highly sought after commodities. These individuals were reproduced and sold to wealthier kings.

The sculpture found in Rome is a copy of the original Greek sculpture dating back to the 2nd century BCE. It is one of the artworks brought to France by Napoleon Bonaparte.

Ramesses II from the Louvre Museum

We have a great fondness for the art of Ancient Egypt. The Louvre boasts one of the richest collections of artwork from this part of the world. This department is located in the Sully wing.

Ramesses II was a great builder of the New Kingdom. Under his reign, Egypt was filled with monumental buildings and sculptures of gods. According to many scholars, the time of Ramesses was the golden age of Ancient Egypt.

He sat on the throne for over sixty years and died at the age of ninety. This is quite an achievement considering that the average life expectancy in those times did not exceed 35 years. He must have been very industrious; amidst all his governance of the state, he still found time to father over 150 children.

The sculpture of Ramesses II standing in the Louvre is just one of the attractions. Currently, the Egyptian department exhibits artefacts that should not be missed. There is a stele from the Osiris crypt, a figure of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, a stele from Kadesh, and golden figurines of Osiris and Isis. I recommend spending more time in this part of the museum, as I am certain you will find something extraordinary.

Priceless works of art in the Louvre, which we enjoyed very much

To the list of artworks worth seeing, as per your suggestion, I would add Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings such as “St. John the Baptist” and “La Belle.” It is also impossible to overlook Michelangelo’s “Dying Slave.”

Additionally, “The Coronation of Napoleon” and the enormous canvas “The Wedding Feast at Cana” are remarkable in their size and details. The painting depicting St. Michael defeating Satan by Raphael Sanzio also made a massive impression on us, as did “The Massacre at Chios” or “Women of Algiers” by the French painter Eugène Delacroix, who spent many years in Africa learning local painting techniques and extraordinary colour palettes.

The underground areas, where remnants of the medieval castle can be seen, are also interesting. Taking a stroll around the fortress walls allows you to literally touch the earliest history of Paris.

What we didn’t get to see in the Louvre

Unfortunately, we were unable to visit Napoleon III’s flats. Due to technical issues on the day of our visit, the Appartements Napoleon III were closed indefinitely. It’s a great pity because we had read a lot about the wonders housed there. Well, it’s just another reason to return to Paris.

We also couldn’t find the sculptures by the Polish artist Maria Leszczyńska or the famous Persian carpet acquired by Jan III Sobieski during the battle with the Turks. In a place like the Louvre, searching for specific items can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack.

One could write entire volumes about just a small fraction of the artworks housed in the Louvre. There are plenty of resources and great texts telling about what awaits you in the beautiful Parisian museum.

I recommend taking some time to build a list that will make visiting the Louvre a pure pleasure.

Louvre in Paris practical and helpful information

• If you haven’t created your own itinerary, it’s a good idea to visit the museum with a guide. A very cool option is the Skip the Line tour. It’s a guided walk through the Louvre, leading you through the major attractions, including all those mentioned in this text.
• The museum offers electronic audio guide sets in many languages, including Polish.
• Tickets can be ordered online.
• If you’re exploring Paris, and the Louvre is just one of many attractions you want to visit, I recommend a website where you can find tickets to many attractions in Paris at good and often discounted prices.
• The Louvre’s website offers several suggested tour routes. By following the designated lines, you’ll reach most of the artworks mentioned in the guide.
• There are several restaurants and bars in the Louvre, including a Starbucks. If you want to have lunch in a really fancy place, check out Café Marly on one of the terraces.
• The nearest metro station is Palais Royal Musee du Louvre. You can also reach the museum by one of the bus lines: 21, 24, 27, 39, 48, 68, 69, 72, and 81, as well as 95. Generally, I advise against driving to the Louvre, as parking is expensive and tends to fill up quickly.
• The address of the Louvre Museum is: Musée du Louvre, 75058 Paris – France
• Louvre Museum Website.

Louvre in Paris interesting facts about the art galleries

• The Louvre Pyramid, a structure that today marvels in tourists upon its completion, was once hated by the residents of Paris. Protests were held in front of the palace, demanding its demolition.
• The most famous exhibit in the Louvre is Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, the Mona Lisa.
• A special postal address was set up for letters addressed to the lady in the painting, Mona Lisa, often containing love notes.
• The Mona Lisa painting was created on wood, not canvas, a fact known too few. Its dimensions are 530 mm by 770 mm, just slightly larger than an A2 paper size. Does it seem bigger on television?
• Mona Lisa has her security guards who watch over her safety 24 hours a day. Additionally, she is enclosed in a glass cube that can be moved to an underground vault at any time.
• To this day, the identity of the model for the Mona Lisa painting remains unknown. One theory suggests it was the wife of a merchant who commissioned the work. However, some believe that the face in the painting is actually that of da Vinci himself, albeit without a beard.
• The Louvre is one of the world’s first art museums.
• Napoleon was known for his inflated ego. During his reign, he renamed the museum to Musee Napoleon. After the fall of the empire, the original name was restored.
• The Louvre Museum receives an average of 15,000 visitors daily, with the majority being foreign tourists.
• There are over 7,000 paintings in the galleries and exhibition halls, with over half of them created by French artists.

More interesting facts

• During World War II, upon entering Paris, the Germans found the Louvre empty. They used it as a warehouse for the artworks they had plundered from around the world.
• After the court was moved to Versailles, the Louvre significantly declined. Interest in the building was only renewed after several decades. However, its former beauty was restored by Napoleon.
• Like every old palace, the Louvre Museum has its ghosts. A beautiful lady named Belphegor wanders the halls at night, while a ghost dressed in black haunts the gardens. It’s a perfect topic for our Legends section.
• The Louvre Pyramid, adorning Napoleon’s courtyard, is made of glass and steel. It stands 20 meters tall and covers an area of 1,225 square meters. Its proportions are identical to the famous Cheops Pyramid in Egypt.
• A sister museum named the Louvre was established in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The Arabs paid a massive sum for this imitation of the original. The Louvre name alone cost them over $500 million. Renting artworks from the vast storerooms in Paris cost an additional $700 million. This doesn’t even include the cost of insuring these valuable masterpieces.
• The Arabs try to avoid any references to religion in their version of the museum at all costs. For example, the description under a 13th-century painting depicting Mary with the Child says that the painting depicts the universal gesture of a mother’s love for her child.
• In the early 20th century, a Louvre employee stole the Mona Lisa painting and remained elusive for the next two years. The thief was caught after the police set up a clever trap.

Polish version