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| PARIS
HOMEPAGE » LOUVRE - LES HALLES AREA » WHAT TO SEE |
MUSÉE DU LOUVRE
Louvre |
The Louvre Museum is an intersection of time, space and national
boundaries. The rich collection includes objects from the Egyptian
pharaons, the halls of Roman Emperors, paints by French artists
and many other interesting collections. From the fortress of Philippe
Auguste (1190) to the completion of the "Grand Dessein"
(1870), the Louvre palace has extended progressively along the right
bank of the Seine. A true barrier separating the northern and southern
parts of the city, the building constitutes the point of departure
of the great East-West view, which crosses the Arc du Carrousel,
the obelisk in the Place de la Concorde, the Arc de Triomphe on
the Champs-Elysées, and extends right out to the new Arch
de la Défense. The international renown of the Louvre museum
sometimes makes us forget that it was originally designed as a palace.
Since the Middle Ages, its development has been quite exceptional,
marked by both the major events of French history and the succession
of architects and decorators who have left their mark on it.
Established in 1793 by the French Republic, the Louvre Museum, in
the company of the Ashmolean Museum (1683), the Dresden Museum (1744)
and the Vatican Museum (1784) is one of the earliest European museums.
Divided into 7 departments, the Louvre collections incorporate works
dating from the birth of the great antique civilisations right up
to the first half of the XIXth century, thereby confirming its encyclopaedic
vocation. The collections are: Oriental Antiquities, Islamic Art,
Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities, Sculptures, Art Objects,
Paintings, Prints and Drawings, History of the Louvre and Art of
Civilizations of Africa, Asia, Oceania and Americas. The Pyramid,
one of the Museum’s entrance, was built in 1985 by the architect
I.M.Pei. The idea was to move the museum’s entrance to an
underground level in the Cour Napoléon, surmounted by this
pyramid.
This proposal met many controversies: some saw it like a sacrilege;
others like a stroke of genius. The masterpieces here exposed are
so many that we cannot mention each of them: we absolutely have
to indicate the world famous “Monnalisa” or “Gioconda”
by Leonardo da Vinci, many paintings by Italian artists such as
Michelangelo and Guido Reni; drawings by Leonardo, Michelangelo,
Salviati and Correggio; and the enchanting Egyptian collection.
If you come in Paris, you cannot loose a visit to one of the most
interesting museums of the world! |
FORUM DES HALLES
Les Halles |
Located in the heart of Paris, the Forum des Halles is a park at
ground level, a large underground mall, and below that, the world’s
largest underground subway station. Surrounding the Forum des Halls
are numerous shops and restaurants. The park is very popular among
locals when the weather is friendly, and the shopping complex features
numerous big-name department stores and eateries. An open-sky plaza
sits in the center of an all-glass covering that pedestrians pass
on their way to the restaurants, boutiques, cultural institutions,
discotheques, museums and cinemas located on the underground level.
The Forum des Halles actually sits on the grounds of the famous
old market Halles. For more than eight hundred years these grounds
served as the central marketplace for Paris. As population increased
over time, congestion in the area was inevitable. By the late-20th
century the city was forced to relocate the hundreds of food stands
and cafes to a suburban area called Rungis. Subsequently, with the
huge marketplace gone, what was once the city’s most bustling
area was now nothing more than a gigantic hole in the ground. Eventually,
after several years, the city decided to turn the le trou des Halles
(the hole of the Halles) into what we now know as the Forum des
Halles. |
PALAIS ROYAL
The Palais Royal began as a small and private theatre in the residence
of Cardinal Richelieu. It was designed by the architect, Jacques
Lemercier. This theatre became known by the name of the residence,
the Palais Cardinal. It was the first theatre in France with movable
scenery wings and a proscenium arch. Its first production was Jean
Desmeret's Mirame in 1641.
Following Richelieu's death, the palace became royal property. It
was then used for courtly entertainment. In 1660, Moliere and his
troupe used the theater for their productions until the death of
Moliere in 1673. After Moliere's death, Jean-Baptiste Lully used
the Palais Royal for his Academy of Music and their opera productions.
The theatre burned down in 1763. It was rebuilt but burned down
again in 1781. The area was then redeveloped into an amusement area
by its owner the Duke de Chartres. It contained a number of theatres,
many called the Palais Royal at various times. To this day several
theatres remain in the area. |
PLACE VENDÔME
Place Vendôme |
This square, a masterpiece of classical architecture, dates back
to the reign of Louis XIV.
The Vendôme Column, in which on the top is Napoleon, and the
facades of the houses surrounding it make it one of the most elegant
squares.
Today it is the Mecca of Paris's luxury activities.
A restoration project to eliminate parking and restore its original
18th century appearance was completed by the Ville de Paris in 1992.
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JARDIN DES TUILERIES
Jardin des Tuileries |
The Jardin des Tuileries celebrates the victory of geometry over
the nature. These gardens are situated between Place du Carrousel
and Place de la Concorde. The land was purchased by Caterina de'Medici
in 1563 with the intention of transforming it into an English style
garden. Enriched by Le Nôre in 1663, the present Tuileries
garden includes two large sectors crossed by a central avenue which
is lined with large flower beds and decorated with sculptures. |
GALERIE NATIONALE DU JEU DE PAUME
Galerie Nationale
du Jeu de Paume |
The Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume is a museum of contemporary
art in the north-west corner of the Tuileries Gardens in Paris.
The building was built in 1861 during the reign of Napoleon III.
It originally housed tennis courts; the name is from the precursor
of tennis, the “jeu de paume”.
It was used from 1940 to 1944 to store Jewish cultural property
looted by the Nazi regime in France.
Before 1986, it contained the Musée du Jeu de Paume, which
held many important impressionist works now in the Musée
d'Orsay. |
MUSÉE DE L'ORANGERIE
Musée del'Orangerie |
Opened in 1927, the “ Musée de l’Orangerie”,
is home to interesting works by Rénoir, Cézanne, Matisse,
Picasso, Rousseau and “Les Nymphéas” (Water Lilies)
by Monet. This museum is closed until 2004 for renovations. |
PLACE DU CARROUSEL
Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel |
The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel (architects Percier and Fontaine)
was built between 1806 and 1808 by Napoleon I following the model
of the Arc of Constantine in Rome. The two arches built by Napoleon
- Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and the Arc de Triomphe at Etoile,
were to commemorate his victories, and the grand army who had won
them. The bronze horses on top of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
were taken from Saint-Marc of Venice. These were later returned
after the second world war. |
PALAIS DE JUSTICE AND SAINTE CHAPELLE
Palais de Justice |
A wide set of stone steps at the main entrance of the Palais de
Justice leads to 3 doorways: you can choose between the one that
represents Liberty or Equality or Fraternity, words that once signified
revolution and now serve as the bedrock of French Tradition. Choose
a door and make your way through the green gates that stand beyond
the door representing “Equality”. Climb the stairs to
the second floor and go on the left…here the guards will let
you into a viewing gallery.
The Sainte-Chapelle ("Holy Chapel"), located within the
Palais de Justice complex, is a diminutive yet perfect example of
the Gothic architecture. It was erected by Louis IX, king of France,
to house the Crown of Thorns and a fragment of the True Cross, precious
relics of the Passion. King Louis had purchased these in 1239 from
the Byzantine emperor Baldwin II, for the exorbitant sum of 135,000
livres (the chapel "only" cost 40,000 livres to build).
Two years later, more relics were brought from Byzantium. The real
star of the Building is the Upper Chapel. On sunny days, light pours
through its walls of stained glass, illuminating frescoes of saints
and martyrs and creating one of the most breathtaking sights in
Paris. |
CONCIERGERIE
Conciergerie |
Built as a great royal palace in the 14th century, the Conciergerie
was later turned into a prison. During the Reign of Terror (1793-94),
it was used to hold the accused before they were brought in front
of the Revolutionary Tribunal in the Palais de Justice next door.
Over two and a half thousand prisoners were held here before being
taken by tumbrel to the guillotine. Famous victims included Queen
Marie Antoinette as well as Danton and Robespierre. The effect of
walking into this dark, historically rich monument to the Revolution
is a far cry from that of entering its illuminated neighbour, the
St-Chapelle. |
RUE DE RIVOLI
Rue de Rivoli |
A road parallel to the Seine links Place de la Concorde to Place
de la Bastille. It is one of Napoleon's most beautiful urbanistic
realisations, work of two of the Emperor's architects, Percier and
Fontaine. The stretch which borders the Tuileries garden and the
Louvre palace has, on one side, an elegant arcade lined with a large
number of fashion boutiques and shops selling articles for tourists. |
MUSÉE DE LA MODE ET DU COSTUME
With 30.000 outfits, 70.000 accessories and a relatively small space,
the museum of Fashion and Clothing rotates exhibitions to showcase
fashions of the past three centuries. This is the place to go to
see the history of Parisian high fashion and high society. |
ST-EUSTACHE
St-Eustache |
Saint Eustache Cathedral has its origins in a church dedicated to
Saint Agnes. This was true until the 16th century when, in 1532,
Jean de la Barre, the mayor of Paris began work on what is now Saint
Eustache Cathedral. The reason for the beginning of this work was
because it had become necessary to enlarge the town square. The
work was discontinued during the religious wars, and was not begun
again until 1624.
The exterior of the church is very ornate and beautiful and has
a gothic architecture like Notre Dame. The church distinguishes
itself by the variety of its architecture: The interior is gothic,
but the decor itself is done in Renaissance style. Several famous
people are buried within its walls, such as Molière, Richelieu,
and the marquise de Pompadour. On the exterior of the church, one
finds numerous gargoyles, which makes the architecture particularly
admirable.
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