10 Secrets Hidden In The Louvre Museum
Ghosts, thefts, and Nazi collections have passed through the walls of one of the most famous museums in the world: the Louvre.
The Louvre has survived reigns, invasions, and robberies to become one of the most famous museums in the world.
Controversy, rumors, and mysteries have also surrounded it.
Originally built as a fortress in 1190, it was modified to serve as a royal palace in the 16th century.
In 1682, King Louis XIV moved the monarchy’s residence to Versailles, and the Louvre became the residence of several art academies.
On November 8, 1793, in Paris, the Louvre opened its doors as a museum for the first time.
Today it has become a global attraction and, in 2017 alone, received 8.1 million visitors.
To celebrate its long history and cultural impact, here are ten hidden secrets at the Louvre Museum:
1. The Space Did Not Permanently House A Museum
The magnificent structures that make up the Louvre Museum have a history as storied as its works of art.
Originally commissioned as a fortress by King Philip II in 1190 to protect the city of Paris, the Louvre became a royal residence in the fourteenth century during the reign of Charles V.
Then, in the 16th century, the original medieval structure was razed and replaced by an even grander Renaissance by King Francis I, which successive French monarchs continually followed.
It was not until 1793, during the French Revolution, that the building officially opened its doors as the Louvre Museum.
2. Once Housed The Ministry Of Economy And Finance Of France.
Until 1989, “you sent your tax return to the Louvre,” where the ministry occupied the Richelieu wing of the building.
But in the late 1980s, then-President François Mitterrand dedicated the entire space to the arts, ousting the ministry from its palatial headquarters to a massive bunker of a building in Bercy on the eastern edge of Paris.
3. It Is Still Home To Another Institution: A School.
That’s right; you can get your degree in art history straight from the primary source.
On the Aile de Flore (the wing of the museum facing the river) is the École du Louvre, an institution of higher education dedicated to studying archaeology, anthropology, art history, and epigraphy.
Founded in 1882, the school is primarily a training ground for future curators, excavators (and even some Louvre tour guides).
4. It’s Not The Only Louvre In The World, Either.
When the Louvre Abu Dhabi opened in November 2017, it caused quite a stir; but even that’s not the only Louvre out there.
In the former coal mining town of Lens in northern France, you’ll find the stunning Louvre-Lens designed by SANAA, a satellite of the original Louvre.
The space opened in 2012 displays only a tiny fraction of the works in the Louvre’s massive art collection.
And while its location away from the country’s metropolitan center may seem odd, it’s entirely intentional.
“It’s a project that brings culture to the people, especially in a region where many people belong to the working class”.
“They don’t necessarily come to Paris, so the museum goes to them.”
5. You Can Sit In The Museum And Paint (But First, You’ll Have To Put Up With The Waiting List).
If you’ve ever seen a painter in action at the Louvre, you’ve probably been curious about them (and even more curious about how they got past security).
But the artists are part of a tradition that dates back to 1608 when Henry IV first invited artists to the Louvre Palace to copy works of art from the royal collections.
“An artist’s education was not to go to art school, but to copy the old masters.”
“Artists could then live in the Louvre and imitate the works of art.”
The program continues today, albeit with a slightly more rigorous application process (and no housing offer), selecting only 150 to 200 experienced artists to spend three months painting at the museum.
If you make it past the two-year waiting list, it’s an unbeatable opportunity to try replicating some of the world’s most prized works of art.
6. There Are Four Access Doors To Enter The Museum;
Crystal Pyramid: This is the main entrance door on the main square.
It is generally characterized as a place with a great flow of tourists.
Passage Richelieu: This entrance is located on the north façade of the building on Rue de Rivoli.
This door is immediately accessible to groups and owners of the Paris Museum Pass.
Carrousel entrance: This entrance is also located on Rue de Rivoli, on the north façade of the Louvre Museum.
Port de Lions is the most isolated entrance, but it is often closed for technical reasons.
7. Creepy Sculptures Of The Louvre Museum
The Louvre Museum is not only minimized to the most famous painting in the world, the “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo Da Vinci.
The museum undoubtedly has history and mystery beyond the attractive Mona Lisa.
Of these hundreds of exciting works of art, we list the most creepy and surprising below:
1- Sarcophagus Of Philippe Pot (Medieval Section).
Philippe Pot, a knight, who lived between 1428 and 1493, was the son of a crusader.
Incredibly realistic and crawling crusader figures are carrying his mausoleum.
2- The Sculpture Of Death
It brought this thrilling sculpture from the tomb of Saint Innocent, who died on the Ile de France in 1530.
3- The Cruel Queen Catherine De Medici (1518–1589)
Catherine de Medici (1518–1589), a member of the Medici family, married King Henry II of France at 14.
After her husband was assassinated, she ruled France carrying out various forms of cruelty and massacres.
Perhaps in this way, she was taking revenge by staying by the side of King Henry and his mistress, who was 20 years older than the king.
This sculpture of Catherine builds before she died to be placed in her tomb.
4- The Wormy Body Of The Jeanne (1465–1521)
The fate of Countess Jeanne (the grandmother of the cruel Queen Catherine) was not so different; at the age of 22, she married John II, Duke of Bourbon, at 61.
In this sculpture, maggots crawl out of Jeanne’s rotting face and internal organs.
5- Headless Avenue
This sculpture tells about the miracle of the saint Valeria in the city of Limoges. Saint Valeria was sentenced to be beheaded for opposing the decision to marry a non-Christian man.
After the beheading, she rose from the ground and fled, carrying her head in her own hands.
8. Its Mysterious Pyramid
There are several conspiracy theories about the iconic pyramid outside the museum.
In the book The Da Vinci Code, author Dan Brown created a fictionalized version in which the pyramid indicated the location of Mary Magdalene’s tomb. Several theories involving the Illuminati have also been mentioned.
In reality, added the pyramid to the museum’s design until 1983, when the main entrance was renovated.
The architect in charge of creating the structure was architect I.M. Pei.
9. Served As A Storage Facility For The Nazis
When the German invasion of France became imminent during World War II, the curators evacuated most of the Louvre’s works, including the Mona Lisa.
Even so, the Nazis decided to put the museum to use and converted its vault for the art pieces they had confiscated Jews.
10. There Are Ghosts
If you believe in this kind of thing, you’ll be pleased to know that the most famous museum in the world has its ghost.
It’s a mummy named Belphegor, whose story of terrorizing tourists and visitors has even made it to the screen several times.
Sources:
https://www.traveler.es
https://supercurioso.com
https://travelingturks.com
Thanks for reading!
Rocio Becerra