The paradox of perception of the Louvre can be called the surprise of modern times. Knowing about its most interesting, hundreds of years of history, those who want to visit its magnificent halls feel bewilderment before entering. Even experts know about this effect on the public. The reason is the Pyramid of Glass, marking the front entrance to the museum.
The combination of the historical and artistic significance of the ancient complex and the supermodern symbolism of the pyramidal entrance is still difficult to perceive and some French and part of the visitors. However, erected in the 80s of the last century, the Pyramid under the authorship of Yo Ming Pei, an architect from America, was able to win its place on the territory of the palace buildings. It became a kind of volumetric logo, by which the Louvre in Paris is immediately recognized, as well as the capital of France itself, often symbolically identified with the original pyramidal building.
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The reason for the erection of the fortress structure in the 12th century is trivially predictable — a defensive building with the role of a repository for the archives of the crown princes and the state treasury. The decision to build it was made by his majesty Philip-Augustus. Subsequently, the fortress, which became the royal apartments under Charles the Fifth, was rebuilt according to the wishes of the augusts.
The first messenger of the museum future of the palace was Henry the Fourth, who at the dawn of the 17th century decided to house painters in the huge halls.
After Louis XIV moved to Versailles, the Louvre was finally given to the servants of art. The whirlwinds of history hit the majestic building in different years, bringing it downs and ups, plans for demolition and decisions to organize a museum, fires and revivals.
The Louvre today is more than a symbol of a concentration of stunning creations! It is a unique treasury of world masterpieces. The proposed Russian-language tours in Paris familiarize in detail with the brilliant works, the value of which is not even worth speculating.
Under the vaults of the most famous museum, the art of Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt, the Middle Ages and Persia, Etruscans and Romans. Visitors rush into the halls to see the statues of the marvelous Venus of Milos, the magnificent Apollo, the revived Nike of Samothrace, which was restored from more than 300 fragments found 1000 years after its creation.
Viewing the expositions makes your heart beat faster when looking at the unrivaled sculptures of Michelangelo or the most mysterious work of Leonardo da Vinci — «Gioconda», whose smile according to the constructed composition appears if you look into the eyes and disappears if you turn your gaze to the lips. By the way, a hall was specially built for this small canvas, and the painting itself was placed under the protection of double glazing.
France, Paris, Louvre, Mona Lisa — quite a logical chain, which is firmly fixed by links in the memory of many inhabitants of our planet. The Louvre is a treasure house of world significance. It is our treasure, even if we are not French, isn’t it…?