The Louvre

[norwegianne]

I was looking around at the website for the Louvre museum, and they had a history section on how the Louvre has changed from being a royal fortress/palace to a museum. I thought it might be of interest to others as well.

The history section of the website

I remember once I was in Paris when I was younger, I was standing on Rue de Rivoli and noticed the grand building across the street. I still remember the feeling of looking at history I had. Looking at presentations like this I almost get the same feeling.

[magnik]

I found it Louvre, Medieval Paris Stroll

- History 230A New Frontiers of Cultural History

- present aerial view The Louvre Aerial View - GreatBuildings.com
- and earlier Great Buildings Online Image - The Louvre

Some history Artist - History Of The Louvre
and History of The Louvre -- Part 3 of 5: The Renaissance

[sesa]

thank you both so much for the links that you posted. I love reading about this place and the history of it.

I went to Paris for the 1st time when I was in my very early 20's. When I was asked if I wanted to go to the Louve, I scoffed at the person. Who wanted to go to a stuffy old museum filled with "crap".

I went again in my late 20's and pratically dragged my friend in there. She was very upset because I spent the entire day and would not leave to get anything to eat. She had been there before and was bored by it. About miday, I started sharing what little knowledge I had with her about the building itself and the paintings and stuff in there. Once I grabbed her interest, we were like to little kids in a candy store.
this place is amazing.I would love to go back one of these days and take my daughter so she can actually see history rather than read about it. But for thatI must wait until she is older and can appreciate it. I don't want her to be stupid like I was. I can still kick myself for being so ignorant the 1st time I was there!!!

[AdmiralSteven]

Thanks for posting those links, I've always been interested in the Louvre. I can't wait to get home and start looking at the links ad nauseam.

[sinulord]

The day I step into this greatest of European museums will be a dream come true....

[ortiz]

For those wanting to visit The Louvre, this is a very informative briefing on what to expect!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or_6-D_EgUw

[PrincessKaimi]

There are definitely places to eat inside the Louvre. If you went years ago, before they opened up the actual Medieval Castle (found upon excavation for the Pyramid), it is one of the most amazing parts of the museum, which is saying a lot.

So much of it is preserved. As years went by, the moat silted in, the banks of the Seine were raised again flooding, slowly the Castle itself disappeared. But you can walk through it, look into the water wells that were used to supply the Castle, and see much of its ramparts (the upper part is mostly gone, as you look up, it disappears into the ceiling of the ground floor of the main Louvre, above). Near it is an exhibit of the history of the Louvre.

[An Ard Ri]

Was the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois the Palace Church or was their another church/chapel within the Louvre Palace?

Imagine what the Louvre would look like if the Tuileries Palace was still standing!

[Vasillisos Markos]

I recently traveled for the first time to Paris and the Louvre is beautiful. I can imagine the sumptuous scenes which took place there when it was a royal palace. Such a magnificent structure . . .

[An Ard Ri]

Imagine what the Louvre would be like if the Tuileries Palace was still standing.