A Glimpse Spanning Millennia, Such Intense Vitality — The Louvre

The Louvre (French: Musée du Louvre, English: The Louvre), officially known as the Louvre Museum in Chinese, stands on the north bank of the Seine River in the heart of Paris, France, and ranks top among the world’s four major museums 🌍. Historical Evolution Origin & Early Construction: First built in 1190 by order of Philip II Augustus, the Louvre initially served as a defensive fortress. In the mid-14th century, Charles V transformed it into a royal residence. In 1527, François I ordered the demolition of its towers, initiated the reconstruction of the Louvre, and started the tradition of royal art collections 🎨. Expansion & Transformation: In the late 16th century, Henry IV decided to build the "Grand Gallery" linking the Louvre and the Tuileries Palace. During the 17th century, under the reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV, the north and south wings of the Louvre’s Cour Carrée (Square Court) were constructed. In 1793, amid the French Revolution, the Louvre was officially converted into a public museum and opened to the public 🚪. Modern & Contemporary Development: In 1981, with the support of then-French President François Mitterrand, architect I.M. Pei took charge of the "Grand Louvre Project". Completed in 1989, this project turned the Louvre into an architectural complex that integrates a classical palace with a modern museum ✨. Architectural Features Overall Layout: Covering a total area of 19.8 hectares (4.8 hectares for buildings), the Louvre stretches 680 meters from east to west. The complex follows an east-west layout: its easternmost part is the Cour Carrée. From the southwest and northwest corners of the Cour Carrée, the north and south wings of the Louvre extend westward, both adopting a horizontal sun-shaped layout. From the southwest and northwest corners of these two wings, long "一" (linear)-shaped buildings continue westward, reaching all the way to the Tuileries Garden 🌳. Architectural Style: The facade of the southern section of the main building on the west side of the Cour Carrée is a pivotal representative of French Renaissance architecture. Meanwhile, the eastern facade of the Louvre stands as an iconic work of French classical architecture 🎭. Collection Highlights Quantity & Types of Artifacts: The Louvre houses a massive treasure trove of historical relics, spanning from 7000 BCE to the mid-19th century. It has nine curatorial departments, with approximately 33,000 works of art on display, encompassing millennia of human civilization 🕰️. Museum’s Masterpieces: Winged Victory of Samothrace: A marble sculpture dating to around 200 BCE, vividly capturing the majestic posture of a victor 🦅. Venus de Milo: An armless statue from ancient Greece, widely regarded as the most outstanding work depicting female beauty 💃. Mona Lisa: A portrait completed by Leonardo da Vinci around 1503, world-famous for its mysterious smile 😊. #Paris #Art #LouvreParis