Christmas in Paris, The Amazing Louvre! Day 5
Louvre Museum, Paris France
Where had the time gone? It was my last day in Paris... The Louvre. Wow! Overwhelming doesn't capture the feeling of magnificence I found! However, let me not confuse you. Overwhelming can be good or bad and it was, no doubt, both! But, before I get it to that, let me give you the plan to visit the Louvre and some facts first.
The Louvre All Three Wings are Visible
LOUVRE FUN FACTS:
Former residence of the kings of France two centuries ago, the Louvre is one of the greatest museums in the world, with an amazing collection of over 35,000 pieces of art. Included in the 385,000 objects which are spread over 15 acres, the masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and La Vénus de Milo are displayed.
I'm told, it would take no less than 3 months to see every piece! There are 8 departments (Near Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities, Islamic Art, Sculptures, Decorative Arts, Paintings, Prints, and Drawings) These departments are separated into 3 wings (Sully, Denon, and Richelieu). There are 2 Louvre Museums in the World, the 2nd in Abu Dabi which is known to be the first Universal Museum in the Arab World.
Most of the above information, I learned, believe it or not, was during my Eiffel Tower visit, but I'm glad I did! Knowing that there was no way I was going to even get a glimpse of everything the Louvre had to offer, at breakfast, I formulated a plan.
MY PLAN TO VISIT THE LOUVRE:
Of course, Google to the rescue! I decided it was reasonable to try and see 10 pieces. So, I made a list and beside each piece, identified the wing where I could find it. Using my Louvre Map, I formulated a route through the museum. Based on the quick research I did, the following is my list of the pieces I chose:
- The Mona Lisa- Denon Wing, located on the first-floor room, 711
- La Venus de Milo- Sully Wing, located on -0 floor, room 345
- Winged Victory- Denon Wing, located on the first floor, by the staircase
- Wedding of Cana- Denon Wing, located on the first floor, room 711
- Coronation of Napoleon- Denon Wing, located on the first floor, room 75
- Wrath of Medusa- Denon Wing, located in Hall 77
- Liberty Leading the People- Denon Wing, located on the first floor, room 77
- Great Sphinx of Tanis- Sully Wing, located on floor zero, room 338
- Winged Bulls of Khorsabb- Richlieu Wing, located on the ground floor, room 4
(The list and locations are current as of this writing- pieces are sometimes on loan to other museums or are removed temporarily for maintenance)
Map of the Louvre Interior
The plan made, map in hand, I headed to the greatest museum in the world. Once, again, the ticket that I had purchased in advance, had the "Skip the Line" option. Basically, I stood in line, to skip the line! Nice! In all fairness, the security getting into the Louvre is pretty tight and with the added fact, that vaccine certificates were being requested, the line was frightfully long. I used a travel app as they offer so much per-tour information, which allows you to "know before you go"! The vouchers are easy to download to your phone and you are all set!
LOUVRE TRAVEL TIP
While walking through the Louvre, don't forget to look up! Some of the ceilings themselves are works of art!
Some of the Ceilings in the Louvre are Works of Art!
Inside the Louvre
Once inside, I was immediately overwhelmed, and not in a good way. The "lobby" area was huge, very crowded, and loud feeling like Grand Central Station. There was no availability left in the coatroom and the line to the Lady's Room was a mile long! Pardon the negativity, but I say this because it really caught me off guard. In all fairness, this was the only part of the visit that was overwhelming in a not-so-good way.
Moving through the crowd and finding my way to the Denon Wing, I started my stroll. Or better said, my hunt, for the most spectacular art in history! I can't say WOW, enough times! I'm really terrible with maps and as I searched for the Mona Lisa, I stumbled on other pieces on my list- Coronation of Napoleon, Wrath of Medusa, and Liberty Leading the People.
And There She Was!
Finally finding room 711, I was surprised by a couple of things... the length of the queue to the Mona Lisa, how small she is, and how massively huge The Wedding of Cana is! Had I opted to stand in the queue, I would have been there at least 2 hours waiting. I remembered what the couple from the dinner cruise said... skip the queue and stand off to the side to view and snap photos from there. That is exactly what I did.
I mentioned it earlier and I heard from others, that she is "small", but she really is! How can such a masterpiece be so small? In comparison, the Wedding of Cana is on the opposite wall. It is floor-to-ceiling and the width of the wall. If you stand close to it, it's hard to make out the detail. The Mona Lisa is dwarfed in comparison, oh, but that smile! Check out the photos below and compare her size to the people standing in a queue.
The Venus de Milo:
Next on the list was La Venus de Milo! I was anxious to see her. Did you know she stands only 6'8 tall and she was sculpted between 150-125 BC? There is much controversy over who her sculptor is, who she actually depicts, and what happened to the missing limbs. Nonetheless, whatever her story is, she is magnificent! I wonder, however, the true sculptor, whoever he/she was if it even occurred to them that thousands of years later, their work would be so admired!
The Great Sphinx of Tanis
On to The Great Sphinx of Tanis, which is a granite sculpture of a sphinx, whose date may be as early as the 26th century BC. It was discovered in the ruins of the Temple of Amun-Ra in Tanis, Egypt's capital during the 21st Dynasty and the 23rd Dynasty. How did they ever get that into the Louvre?
Being in the Sully Wing basement at this point, I knew that I would never make it through "The List of Ten" and was looking for a way out. The sheer volume of artwork and the enormous displays, to me, were very overwhelming. As I was looking for an exit, I stumbled upon the Pavilion de L'Horloge, a massive portion of a structure from a fortress on the original site of the Louvre, thought to be constructed between 1624 and about 1645. Truly amazing how this could be preserved not only through the years but through the construction of the Louvre!
The Great Sphinx of Tanis
As I was leaving the building on the main floor, right and left of the exit corridor there are views of parts of the Louvre "campus" that is enclosed under the Glass Pyramid. Spectacular!
This was the last day in Paris before an early morning flight the next day! What a spectacular way to end the trip! So many years ago, in school, learning about the Louvre, I never dreamed I would really have the opportunity to visit! What a treat!
Until next time, friends, remember "To Travel is to Live"!
© 2022 Dee Nicolou Serkin
