Les Loisirs Culturels à Paris
The Louvre is the world’s largest museum and is the product of centuries of
construction. It was originally built by Philippe-Auguste in the 13th century as a
fortress. Throughout the centuries the palace has served many purposes, from
the royal residence to empty apartments that were taken over by artist. Louis XVI
and Marie-Antoinette fled from the palace, then called the Palais des Tuileries, in
1791, 2 years after the start of the French Revolution. At the end of the 18th
century, Napoléan made the Louvre into a museum, but 3 more French kings
(Louis XVIII, Charles X and Louis Philippe) continued to make it their home.
La pyramide du musée du Louvre – The glass pyramid in the Cour Napoléon in front of the
Louvre by the American architect I.M. Pei, was commissioned by former president François
Mitterand, and unveiled in March 1989. Below the pyramid there is a large museum shop, a
café, and a restaurant. Standing at the pyramid cone can look straight ahead and capture
one of the most beautiful views in the world – a vista stretching from the Arc de Triomphe
du Carrousel, les Tuileries, las place de la Concorde, les Champs-Elysées, l’Arc de Triomphe
to the new giant Grande Arhce de la Défense. When the pyramid was first unveiled, its
modernistic look in the midst of such classical architecture as that of the Louvre and its
courtyard caused a furor. The furor over the years has subsided, and many compare the
reaction to that caused by the Eiffel Tower a century earlier.
Des Peintures au Louvre
Au Louvre
Centre Pompidou / Beaubourg
The Centre Pompidou is named after Georges Pompidou, the French president who launched the
project to establish this museum of modern art. Most Parisians simply refer to it as Beaubourg
because it is located on the plateau Beaubourg. The center was opened in 1977, and it soon
attracted millions of visitors, 5 times more than had been estimated. The brightly painted
exterior service pipes and the plastic tubing enclosing the escalator were in need of constant
repair. In 1996 the government shut down the center for a complete renovation and expansion.
It reopened in January 2000.
Le Musée d’Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay is a museum in Paris, France, on the left bank of the Seine. It is housed in the
former Gare d'Orsay, an impressive Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The
museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures,
furniture, and photography. It is probably best known for its extensive collection of impressionist
and post-impressionist masterpieces (the largest in the world) by such painters such as Monet,
Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin and Van Gogh. Many of these works were
held at the Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume prior to the museum's opening in 1986. Written
by Wikipedia
Opéra Garnier
L’Opéra Garnier is the original opera house of Paris. Built at the request of
Napoleon III, construction was begun in 1862 but not completed until 1875.
It is named after its architect, Charles Garnier. It is a beautiful building with a
mélange of many architectural styles. Most operas are now performed at the
new Opéra Bastille, but there are still occasional performances at the Garnier,
which is more often used for ballets.
Opéra Bastille
L’Opéra Bastille is Paris’ modern opera house designed by the Argentine-born
architect Carlos Ott. It opened in 1989, seats more than 3000 people, was designed to
replace the Opéra Garnier and is now home to the Opéra National de Paris. It is
located at Place de la Bastille, the location where the French stormed the Bastille state
prison and during the French Revolution in 1789.
At Place de la Bastille stood a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille
Saint-Antoine. This square played an important role in the internal conflicts of
France and for most of its history the fortress was used as a state prison by the
kings of France. It was stormed on July 14, 1789 during the French Revolution,
becoming an important symbol for the French Republican movement, and was
later completely demolished and built over by the Place de la Bastille.
La Comédie Française
La Comédie Française theater building dates from 1790. The Comédie
Française Acting Company was created by Louis XIV and dates back to 1680.
The Comédie Française is the setting for performances of classical French
dramas. The comedies of Molière and the tragedies of Racine and Corneille
are performed regularly. It is the oldest national theater in the world.