Louvre is a popular museum with millions of visitors from different parts of the world exploring the works of art. While some tourists are eager to see the glass pyramid entrance, others await a glimpse of the famous artwork, Mona Lisa. But, Louvre has a lot of things to let you quench your thirst for viewing historic works of art. Let us share the most amazing facts that will encourage you to visit the museum at least once in your life.
Before entering the museum, you should check these facts.
If it is an ordinary museum, you may be able to see everything within a few hours. However, as the Louvre is the largest museum, you need at least 100 days to explore it. For every piece of art, you may have a glimpse of only 30 seconds. So, plan multiple visits to the Louvre and learn about every artwork.
The glass pyramid that marks the entrance is really impressive. But there are other entrances, allowing you to access the Louvre underground from Metro Lines. Most visitors choose the pyramid entrance, where you will find an optical illusion. You may also consider a guided tour to skip the line. The local expert will help you find the way to enter every floor of the museum.
When you talk about the Louvre, you visualize the museum in Paris. What year was the Louvre Museum built? The Louvre Museum was established in a Northern French town (Lens) in 2017. If you visit Abu Dhabi, you will find another Louvre Museum, opened in 2017. But, in Abu Dhabi, you will see a flat gray dome and not a glass pyramid.
Known as Victoire de Samothrace, the famous marble sculpture is headless. It represents a winged Greek goddess, the symbol of victory. The head could not be excavated, and the sculpture shows a Hellenistic style comprising multiple blocks. Visit the Room No 703 to see the sculpture.
It is another famous statue with an armless model. The ancient Greek sculpture was designed with large, white marble blocks. It symbolizes the Goddess of beauty and love. The creator of the masterpiece is still a mystery. There are different claims about the reason for the loss of arms. Some sources say that the arms were destroyed when Turkish and French sailors were fighting to possess the masterpiece.
The famous artwork, Mona Lisa, should not miss your attention in the Louvre Museum. No doubt, it is a highly recognized painting of Leonardo De Vinci. However, do you know that bulletproof glass is used for protecting the artwork? Someone stole the work of art in 1911, but it was recovered within a few years. Visit the Room No. 711 to see the artwork.
Although the Louvre has famous art collections, it started its journey as a large fortress. There was no information about the Louvre Museum founder, but Philip II developed the medieval fortress. The length of the fortress was 98 feet, and it protected Paris until the city had other large defensive structures. Francis I destroyed the original structure to rebuild it as the royal residence.
During the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte, Louvre temporarily earned the name of Musée Napoleon. The king’s army stored artistic loots of war in the museum.
As the Louvre is an old museum, many visitors claim that harmless spirits inhabit the place. Some tourists say that the mummy Belphegor is found wandering all over the halls.
There are 4 floors with French and European sculptures on the ground floor. You will also find Greek antiquities and Islamic artworks on this floor. Americana and British paintings are in Level 1.
These interesting facts allow you to understand- What is the Louvre Museum known for? You can now buy your ticket and access the museum.