And there we are: the Louvre, after trudging slightly more than a mile from Notre Dame Cathedral. A lot of people who has been to the Louvre warned that the museum is overrated and much smaller than expected. I didn't pin much hopes of seeing a Giant Pyramid of a museum there. When my eyes met the glass architecture, it's more or less love at first sight. It is so pretty I just want to pinch it between my fingers and keep it in my pocket! It's not as small as you think, but not Egyptian giant pyramid-sized either.

Itinerary for Day One in Paris
1. Pantheon
2. Luxembourg Palace & Gardens
3. Restaurant La Bucherie + Shakespeare & Company
4. Notre Dame Cathedral
5. The Louvre Museum
6. Champ Elysees & Arc de Triomphe OR Jardin des Tuileries


Want an alternative one day itinerary in Paris?
>>> Itinerary for Day Two in Paris
>>> Itinerary for Day Three in Paris

Contrary to conventional beliefs, the Louvre Museum is more than the pyramidal shaped architecture (I.M Pei's glass pyramid). The entire museum space spans across this stretch of building too, selected as a place to display the royal collection of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture of Louis XIV. During the French Revolution, the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum to display the nation's masterpieces. Later, the collection was increased under Napoleon and the museum renamed the Musée Napoléon, but after Napoleon's abdication many works seized by his armies were returned to their original owners. The collection was further increased during the reigns of Louis XVIII and Charles X, and during the Second French Empire the museum gained 20,000 pieces.

Information credit: Wikipedia

When the glass pyramid was first introduced, many Parisians opposed it. However, it was soon realized that going underground helped to ease the human congestion that would otherwise occur in the old hallways of the existing buildings. The Louvre is one of the largest museums in the world, with more than 35,000 works of art displayed over 60,000 square metres. It is impossible to finish browsing through everything within a day. the building is divided into three wings, Sully, Denon, and Richelieu, each one with its own clearly marked entrance, found under the glass pyramid.

Information credit: Frommers

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