This is the view west from the Cour Napoléon toward the Tuileries, Concorde, and the Champs-Elysées beyond. I took this photo back in 2018 when friends of mine were in Paris for a couple of days before embarking on a tour through Normandy.
Pyramide du Louvre, Paris, April 2018.
Most obvious is the Pyramide, the museum's "new" main entrance, opened in 1989. Prior to the pyramid's construction, this space was a parking lot for employees of the Ministry of Finance. President François Mitterrand relocated the ministry, expanded the museum space, and called for a new and modern entrance to the "Grand Louvre."
Wow, so much activity going on! I don't think I've ever noticed that there are two small pyramids on each side of the large one.
ReplyDeleteI was there for the first time 33 years ago this month. Time to go back.
ReplyDeleteThat grand space is such an improvement over a parking lot.
ReplyDeleteSuch a change it made! I remember entering in a very different situation, in 1981-82, while they were (I think) already starting digging.
ReplyDeleteevelyn, and there's a third, just in front of the big one in this photo.
ReplyDeletetravel, let me know when you do!
mitch, agreed.
judy, me, too. My memory is that the entrance was not easy to find. For me, anyway. ;)