PARIS

PARIS Paris is believed to have been founded by the Gauls; became capital in 987 when the first king Capet founded the first powerful dynasty. It was during the reign of Philipp ll Auguste when the famous Louvre was built and the university founded. after the revolution. Napoleon Bonaparte had it enriched with the construction and replanning of the city. Shenandoah Park,road trip, budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland,eiffel

Eiffel Tower

THE EIFFEL TOWER The Eiffel Tower was erected for the World Fair in 1889. Designed by and named after Engineer Gustave Eiffel, it is 320 meters high, 7,000 tons in weight,has three floors with restaurants on the first two. Some statistics for the tower are as follows: 26 months of building 1710 steps to the top 700 assembly drawings 150 construction workers 50 engineers 40 drafstmen 120 million visitors in 100 years travel and places,budget travel,Eiffel Tower,Paris, France

Louvre Museum

Louvre Museum, Paris Information for visitors: Hours: Open everyday except Tuesday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday and Wednesday: closing is 9:45 pm Historical background Louvre was built as a Royal fortress in 1190 which served as an outpost of the palace in the city with the aim of countering potential invaders from the Seine. During the reign of Charles V, Louvre became a richly decorated royal residence of the king's library of manuscript. In 1594, Henry IV made Louvre into a royal city by creating a hall to house his classical treasures and installing his artists on the Grande Gakkerie built alongside the Seine by his architects du Cerceau and Metezeau. Under the reign of Louis XIV, the last remnants of the medieval building were destroyed while improvements and additions continued. However when he chose to live in Versailles to be with his official mistress, it marked the end of official residency in Louvre and its surroundings. Because Louvre was left abandoned and incomplete, demand for its restoration and opening to the public prompted the Revolution to make it a museum so that on August 10, 1793, it opened in the anniversary of the collapse of the monarchy. travel and places,budget travel,Louvre Museum,Paris, France Shenandoah Park,road trip, budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland,eiffel

Venus de Milo at Louvre

Like the Mona Lisa, a must see --- if only to avoid having someone say "you went to the Louvre but didn't see the Venus di Milo? What's wrong with you?" Also known as Aphrodite of Melos after the Greek island in which it was found. Found in 1820 on the Island of Melos or Milo, the statue was taken in Paris, the same year. It shares the title, the most celebrated work of art with Leonardo Da Vnci's Mona Lisa. It was specualted that the missing right arm must have been held in front of the breasts while the left arm must have been probably raised. travel and places,budget travel,Louvre Museum,Paris, France,Venus de Milo

Mona Lisa at Louvre Museum

MONA LISA The portrait of LIZA GHERARDINI called LA GIACONDA or MONA LISA is the most celebrated painting of LEONARDO DA VINCI in LOUVRE. It is closely protected after it was stolen in 1911 and recovered only after two years. travel and places,budget travel,Louvre Museum,Paris, France,Mona Lisa Shenandoah Park,road trip, budget+travel,Italy,Rome,Vatican City,Switzerland,France,Tower of Pisa,Eiffel Tower,Golden Gate ,Universal Studios,Disneyland,eiffel

The Great Sphinx and other Egyptian Antiquities at Louvre

The Great Sphinx at Louvre Standing guard in the crypt room, on the way to the rooms holding the Egyptian collections, it is one of the 4,000 pieces that make up the Salt Collection. Another collection is a group of cats which are believed to be guardians of the Underworld. And Egyptian Smurfs? And Egyptian Mimes? travel and places,budget travel,Louvre Museum,Paris, France,The Great Sphinx

GREEK, ETRUSCAN AND ROMAN ANTIQUITIES

One of the Greek antiquities and Hellenistic arts. Below is another Roman goddess which is among the collections of Louvre's Hellenistic collections. Men in Contemplation Another Man in Contemplation travel and places,budget travel,Louvre Museum,Paris, France