louvre_museum_facts

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The Most Famous Louvre Museum Facts
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1. The Louvre or the Louvre Museum in Paris,
France, is the most visited and famous museum in
the world. 2. The Louvre Palace is a former
royal palace located on the Right Bank of the
Seine in Paris. Originally a fortress built in
the medieval period, it became a royal palace in
the 14th century under Charles V and was used
from time to time by the kings of France as their
main Paris residence.
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3. In 1546, Francis I renovated the site in
French Renaissance style. Francis acquired what
would become the nucleus of the Louvres
holdings, his acquisitions including Leonardo da
Vincis Mona Lisa. 4. After Louis XIV chose
Versailles as his residence in 1682,
constructions slowedhowever, the move permitted
the Louvre to be used as a residence for
artists.In 1793 part of the Louvre became a
public museum, now the celebrated M usée du
Louvre, which has expanded to occupy most of the
building.
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5. The present-day Louvre Palace is a vast
complex of wings and pavilions on four main
levels which, although it looks to be unified, is
the result of many phases of building,
modification, destruction and restoration. 6.
The Louvre Pyramid was built in the 1980s as the
main entrance to the Louvre Museum by Chinese
American architect I.M. Pei. The modern glass
structure, which forms a nice contrast with the
historic facades of the Louvre, has become a
landmark in its own right. It is surrounded by
three smaller pyramids. Read MoreLouvre Museum
Facts