Lorescape Places · Paris

Louvre Museum · Paris, France · Opened 1793 · built from the 12th c.

From Fortress to the World's Museum: 800 Years of the Louvre

The same stone walls once held off armies and housed kings — now they hold the art of all humanity.

The Louvre began not as a museum but as a fortress. Around 1190, King Philip II built it to defend Paris; as the city grew, it lost its military role and was rebuilt as a royal residence in the 14th century.

The turning point came in 1793. After the French Revolution, the former palace opened to the public as a national museum. The smile of the Mona Lisa, the armless Venus de Milo, and the winged Victory of Samothrace have met the world here ever since.

In 1989, I. M. Pei's glass pyramid rose in the Napoleon Courtyard. The clash of classical palace and modern geometry stirred controversy — yet it has become the Louvre's most recognizable emblem.

This is only the opening. With Lorescape, every hall of the Louvre has a story you can hear.