👥 In 2023, the Louvre attracted nearly 9 million visitors, 68% of whom were tourists, tirelessly exploring the 13.5 km of galleries and jostling to catch a glimpse of the iconic Mona Lisa!
🏰 Having become a museum in 1793, the Louvre was originally a fortress in the 12th century before becoming a royal residence in 1364. Over the centuries, it was gradually transformed by successive monarchs, each reign leaving its mark according to the styles of the time.
🔥 In 1661, a fire destroyed the small gallery, which dated back to the reign of Henry IV. The young King Louis XIV then commissioned Charles Le Brun to rebuild it. Le Brun paid homage to the sun, which the king had recently chosen as his emblem. The gallery’s vaulted ceiling is adorned with paintings depicting the journey of Apollo, the sun god, from dawn to dusk, as well as representations of the sun’s influence: the seasons, zodiac signs, continents…
✨ Twenty years later, the Apollo Gallery would serve as a model for the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, where Louis XIV chose to establish himself with his court.
🎟️ Versailles, another must-see tourist destination, is hosting the Olympic events this year but fortunately remains open for visits all summer long.
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