| The Louvre palace in Paris dates back to
1190. It hosts the
Louvre museum since the 1789 French revolution.
During eight centuries, it has been continuously enlarged and embellished by
French kings and emperors alike.
President François Mitterrand added the final touch to
it with his Grand Louvre project.
This 1981/1997 project included an
extension and the complete restructuring of the museum. The famous Pei glass pyramids
mark
the new entrance to the museum (below). |

The barque of Dante by Eugène Delacroix, Louvre museum
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One of the pyramids of the Louvre museum
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The
Louvre is at the same time a splendid and huge royal palace along the Seine river and one of the best arts museums in the world.
It displays the famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci
and many other first class paintings from across Europe and centuries (above
the barque of Dante and Virgile by Frenchman Eugène Delacroix - 1830). It also
displays a superb collection of Egyptian pieces of arts (below a funeral
coffer).
From the pyramid
entrance, you can also access one of the best and largest shopping centers in Paris, a really nice underground
shopping experience.
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The relaxing Tuileries
garden near by the Louvre museum is one of the most beautiful parks in
Paris (below, the Arc du Carrousel in the Tuileries garden). Altogether a
first class combination well worth a full day of your time.
Musée du Louvre
75058 Paris Cedex 01
Tel: 33 (0)1 40 20 53 17
Recorded info : 33 (0)1 40 20 51 51
station Palais Royal on line 1
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Egyptian funeral coffer at Louvre museum
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