In the heart of Paris, France, along the Seine, lies a palace fit for a king. But rather than a king living here, it is used to showcase some of the most iconic artworks throughout history.
About the Louvre
The Louvre Museum is one of the largest museums in the world, with over 30,000 objects on display. Boasting nearly 9 million visitors a year, the Louvre is the most visited museum in the world.
The museum is located in the Palais du Louvre. It was originally a fortress built at the end of the 12th century under Philip II. The Louvre was used to display the royal collection after Louis XIV chose the Palace of Versailles as his residence in 1682. During the French Revolution, the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum to display the nation’s masterpieces. The museum then opened on August 10, 1793, with an exhibition of 537 paintings, the majority of the works being royal and goods confiscated from the church.
If you were to look at every single item the Louvre has to offer, you could easily spend a week reading and admiring the collection. However, most visitors come to see three of the most recognizable pieces in the museum.
The Big Three
The world’s most famous painting, the Mona Lisa, is the frontrunner for why so many people visit this museum. It is housed in the Louvre’s largest room, the Salle des États (room 711), which is also home to other remarkable Venetian paintings such as The Wedding Feast at Cana by Veronese.
King François I acquired the painting from Leonardo da Vinci in 1518. It has been in the royal collections ever since, and has been shown at the Louvre since the French Revolution.
The Winged Victory can be found on top of the monumental Daru staircase (room 703). The Winged Victory is one of the few Greek statues whose exact original location is known. It was built as an offering to the gods on the island of Samothrace, and placed at a height so people could see her from afar. In a nod to her original perch, she has graced the upper landing of the Daru staircase since 1883.
Next to the Mona Lisa and the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo (room 345) is one of the three most famous female figures in the Louvre. She was found on the Greek island of Milos in 1820, and in 1821 she was placed in the Louvre after being donated by King Louis XVIII.
Visitor Information
Pricing
| General admission | €22.00 ($25.71) |
|---|---|
| Under 18 years old, Under 26 years old residents of the EEA | Free |
Opening Hours
| Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday | 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
|---|---|
| Wednesday and Friday | 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM |
| Tuesday | CLOSED |
Review
The Louvre is by far the busiest museum I have ever visited. But for a price of only 22 euros to see some of the most iconic pieces of history, sometimes you have to deal with crowds.
I entered through the pyramid which is their most well-known entrance. This line took about 45 minutes in winter. During the summer season, I don’t even want to know how bad the line is. However, if you have purchased an online ticket, there is a separate entrance through the underground shopping gallery which usually has a much shorter line.
I spent over two hours wandering the halls just to try and take in all of the sights in the Louvre, and I feel like there was still much more to see. This is definitely a museum where you can get lost in for several hours and still only see a fraction of the collection.
I would recommend visiting at least once just to say you have been there, but being shoulder to shoulder with strangers in massive galleries can bring down the experience slightly. Overall, I would give this museum a 7.5/10.
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