Louvre Palace Paris

The Louvre Palace is a former royal palace located on the right bank of the Seine. It is the largest palace in Europe and is approximately 135,000 sq.-meters.

 

It took over 800 years for the Louvre Palace to be built through different political regimes. 

 

First, in the 13th century, a castle was built during the reign of King Philip Augustus. Then, King Francis I replaced it by a palace. King Henry II continued the palace works that were achieved by Henry III.

Additional elements were added throughout the history. 

Catherine de Medici ordered to build the "Tuileries" in 1563 and King Henry IV ordered the works for the "Pavillon de Flore" ("Flora Pavilion") and the Galleries. The “Pavillon de l'Horloge” (“Clock Pavilion”) was built in 1624 during the reign of Louis XIII. Then, the building of the North and East wings of the “Cour Carrée” (“Square Yard”) under Louis XIV.

Moreover, Louis XIV is also known for having abandoned the Louvre in favour of Versailles at the end of the 17th century. 

In the early 19th century, Napoleon I undertook renovations and new constructions and Napoleon III achieved the works of the Palace.

This place was burned at the end of the War of 1870, before being restored at the end of the century. 

 

The Ministry of Finance was housed in the palace until 1889, and later, in the late 20th century, the Louvre has been developed by President François Mitterrand. We also owe him the famous Louvre Pyramid, completed in 1989 according to plans by architect Ieoh Ming Pei

The Louvre Museum is located in the heart of the palace and is one of the largest and richest museums in the world.

 

Our 4-star hotel in Paris is located a few-minute walk away from the Louvre. You will enjoy its intimate and warm decor. 

 

Practical information:

Louvre Palace - Paris
75001 Paris

Phone: +33 1 40 20 50 50 

For more information, visit the Louvre Museum website.