The world’s most famous museum – the Louvre: the soul of France and the heart of Paris

France. Paris. For many romantics, it’s a childhood dream: to wander its narrow lanes one day and soak up the views that captured your heart on the pages of favourite novels and in classic films, to breathe in the aroma of fresh pastries and finally see your dream with your own eyes. Romantic Paris is, after all, always a tale of beauty — a city where even the air smells of art. And among all its treasures there is one place that can leave you speechless — the Louvre Museum in Paris. Its glass pyramid catches the sun above the square where languages, cultures and the dreams of travellers from all over the world intertwine.

Even as you approach the Louvre, you feel a special atmosphere — as if the whole of Paris were focused at one point where past and present meet in perfect harmony. Behind these walls pharaohs sleep, kings look on, and above all hovers the faint yet world-famous smile of La Gioconda. The world’s most famous museum — the Louvre — is forever entwined with stories of love, mysteries of the past and cinematic legends — from the suave Agent 007 to tales of the Templars.

The Louvre is not just a museum in Paris. It is an entire universe where every object tells the story of humanity. You can lose yourself among paintings, sculptures and the shadows of great masters — yet in that very disorientation true wonder is born. Each gallery of the Louvre feels like its own world. Ancient Egypt, with its enigmatic sarcophagi and majestic statues of pharaohs, flows into the grandeur of Greek classicism, where the Winged Victory of Samothrace stands — a symbol of triumph and eternal motion. A few steps more and you’re before the gaze of the Mona Lisa, the most enigmatic woman in art history. Her smile has greeted millions from across the globe and remains the Louvre’s greatest riddle.

But the magic of this place isn’t only in its masterpieces. It lives in the space itself. The former royal palace bears the imprint of centuries: its stone walls breathe the history of France, and the lofty arched halls are filled with light that feels like part of the exhibition. Strolling beneath the Louvre’s vaults, you sense time pausing here so that art can live forever.

In this city, everyone finds their own story, purpose and reason to visit Paris — and perhaps to fall in love with it for good. And the best place to begin that story is the heart of France — the Louvre.

To understand the true grandeur of the Louvre Museum in Paris — France’s defining cultural symbol — you need to look into its past and turn the page to the present. Only then can you truly feel the essence of this unique place on earth — born of human imagination, strengthened by our pursuit of beauty and perfection, and preserved in the very heart of France.

The history of the Louvre began as early as the 12th century, when a stone fortress of the French king Philip II Augustus stood on the site of today’s museum. It protected Paris from invaders coming along the Seine. In time, the fortress lost its defensive role and gradually transformed into the opulent Royal Palace of the Louvre — the centre of power and splendour for France’s monarchs. Today, underground fragments of those ancient walls survive within the museum — visible to every visitor.

In the 16th–17th centuries, the Louvre in Paris became the embodiment of France’s artistic greatness: art schools were born here, collections were formed, and a national taste for beauty took shape. Yet the Louvre Museum achieved its lasting fame after Louis XIV moved his residence to Versailles, leaving the palace to artists, architects and collectors. From that moment, Paris gained its future cultural emblem for the world.

After the French Revolution, on 10 August 1793, the Louvre opened its doors to the people, becoming France’s first national museum. More than two centuries have passed since then, yet the most famous museum in Paris continues to thrive — evolving, expanding its collections and delighting travellers from every corner of the planet. Today this unique museum of France is not merely a vault of priceless artefacts, but the living history of human civilisation. It is like an entire cosmos where ancient statues stand alongside Renaissance canvases, and the gazes of visitors merge in awe before the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo. Here, every gallery tells the story of Paris — a city that lives for art and breathes history.

The Louvre is not only a gathering of artworks, but proof that humankind can create something eternal. It’s a diamond of the highest grade, born not of nature but of human mind, talent and labour. Perhaps it is one of the noblest achievements of Homo sapiens — our attempt to leave a mark on eternity. The Parisian Louvre proves that art can outlast time, empires and kings. To visit the Louvre in Paris is to touch the living history of France and feel past and present intertwine in one of the world’s greatest museums.

The chief task of our time is to safeguard this heritage, pass it to future generations and build upon what has been achieved. And remember: each of us can become a small part of this story — by doing what we love, creating canvases and sculptures, or simply keeping art alive in our hearts. And who knows — perhaps you, inspired by what you see in the Louvre’s halls, will create your own masterpiece that one day adorns its walls.

Many people today still think a museum is something dull, far removed from enjoyable leisure. There may be a grain of truth in that — but certainly not when it comes to the National Museum of the Louvre. Here, everything is different. Step inside and you plunge into the past, where each room is a portal to a new era. Time slips away as mind and heart journey through the pages of human history.

Anyone who has already had the chance to stroll through the Louvre’s galleries will understand what it means to become part of this story among exhibits arranged into nine collections. This structure lets you feel and interpret the masterpieces more deeply — even if art isn’t your usual domain. A visit to the Louvre can be compared to passing nine levels of a journey through time — each revealing something new, astonishing and absorbing. You need only take the first step, pick up your ticket for this unique voyage and let the Louvre fill your soul with impressions that will last a lifetime — while France’s cultural heritage enriches your outlook with a creative sense of beauty.

Every room in this museum is a universe where history and art merge into a single symphony. To avoid losing your way among countless exhibits, it helps to know that the Louvre Museum is organised into nine main collections. Together they shape its distinctive structure — a path through civilisations, cultures and eras that have forged our idea of beauty.

The Ancient Near East: where history begins

The Louvre Museum begins its journey through time right here — in the galleries of the Ancient Near East, where every object breathes the memory of humanity’s first civilisations. This section takes us back to the birth of writing, architecture and the first states, when people first began to leave traces of their existence in stone.

Soft light highlights the grandeur of ancient statues, reliefs and cuneiform tablets brought from Mesopotamia, Babylon and Assyria. Here you can see true masterpieces of human genius — stone lions from the palaces of Nineveh, fragments of temples and images of rulers whose features have endured for millennia.

Visitors to the Louvre often pause in silence before these artefacts — not only to admire their beauty, but to feel an invisible bond with the past. There is no bombast in this display — only a calm, profound sense of eternity that makes you reflect on how deep the roots of our modern civilisation run.

The Louvre’s Ancient Near East section is a kind of gateway to the world of history — the starting point for your museum journey. And it is here you realise that the Louvre palace-museum is not merely a storehouse of Louvre artefacts, but living proof of humanity’s enduring desire to leave something beautiful behind.

Ancient Egypt: the breath of eternity among the sands of time

In the museum complex’s galleries, the Ancient Egypt exhibits at the Louvre wordlessly unfold one of humanity’s most mysterious chapters. Time seems to stand still here; among towering columns, sarcophagi and stone statues you feel the true breath of eternity. This is more than a collection — it’s a world where gods, pharaohs and ordinary people exist side by side, telling stories of life, death and immortality.

The Louvre’s Egyptian display spans more than four millennia — from the earliest dynasties to the Greco-Roman period. You’ll find mummies, amulets, sacred papyri, jewellery and even genuine fragments of temples. All of this creates the hush of a temple mystery, where every object feels like a message across the ages.

Especially striking are the statues of the deities — Isis, Osiris, Horus — gazing at visitors serenely and solemnly, as if they remember every era. Stand beside them and it’s as if you hear the soft whisper of the Nile carrying stories of the pharaohs and the grandeur of ancient civilisations.

The Ancient Egypt collection at the Louvre is a journey into the depths of time, where history comes alive in every stone, symbol and glance. Here you understand that the museum in France — the Louvre — is not merely a set of artefacts, but a true temple of humanity’s memory, preserving the immortal beauty of the ancient world.

Ancient Greece: harmony of beauty and spirit

At the heart of the Louvre in Paris there is a place where time seems to hold its breath — the Ancient Greece galleries at the Louvre. Here emerges the feeling of harmony that humanity has sought for centuries. Stone comes alive in refined forms, and cool marble seems warmed by the touch of perfection. Among snow-white statues and classical friezes, you realise that beauty is a language understood by every people and every age.

The Louvre’s Greek collection spans millennia — from the Minoan era to the classical period. Its most celebrated jewel is the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the goddess of victory who rises proudly above the museum’s staircase. Her wings, frozen in motion, seem to hold the breath of the sea breeze, and every fold of her robe looks alive. This masterpiece is one of the most powerful symbols of art of all time.

Other highlights include amphorae, fragments of temple sculptures, and depictions of mythic heroes and gods that embody the spirit of Hellenic culture. Each is part of a story where myth and reality intertwine and philosophy becomes art. In these rooms even the calmest visitors feel they are facing not mere statues, but the realised perfection of human intellect and soul.

The Ancient Greece collection at the Louvre is not just a memory of the past. It is a living conversation about eternal values — beauty, harmony and the strength of the spirit. Thanks to galleries like these, the Louvre Museum in France is a place where the history of art turns into poetry that echoes through the centuries.

Etruria and Ancient Rome: the path from mystery to majesty

In the galleries of Etruria and Ancient Rome, the Louvre opens pages of history where the grandeur and harmony of the classical world come alive in marble, bronze and legend. Here reign the feelings of power, beauty and wisdom — the foundations of all European culture.

The Louvre’s collection immerses you in the world of ancient gods, commanders and philosophers. Among the exhibits are elegant Roman busts, mosaic fragments, graceful amphorae and jewellery once owned by inhabitants of ancient cities. All of it recalls how the pursuit of perfection defined the spirit of that era.

The Etruscan section brims with riddles: ornamented ceramics, funerary urns, figurines of fertility goddesses — all speak of a people who predated Rome and influenced it more than is often assumed. Nearby are vast rooms dedicated to Ancient Rome itself, with statues of emperors, warriors and gods that once adorned forums and temples.

Amid this marble immortality you feel keenly how thin the line is between person and legend. It’s here you understand that the Louvre Museum in France is not just an ordinary museum complex, but a bridge between past and present, allowing everyone to touch the greatness of antiquity and sense its undying breath.

Islamic art: a harmony of patterns and light

Among the Louvre’s many rooms there’s a place where silence speaks in colours, patterns and light — the Islamic Art section. A special atmosphere reigns here: gentle rays filtering through glass canopies reflect off the cases, creating a play of light and shadow like a whispered prayer.

The Louvre Museum’s display devoted to Islamic culture covers over a thousand years of history — from Spain to India. It’s a journey through centuries of architecture, calligraphy and applied arts that tell of humanity’s search for harmony. Ceramic tiles with delicate ornament, stained glass, metal lamps, textiles and manuscripts together create a marvellous symphony of forms and symbols.

In these Louvre galleries there are no figures of gods or heroes — instead the art speaks the language of geometry, colour and light. Every pattern, every inscription is a universe of its own, imbued with spirituality and the pursuit of perfection. That very wordless harmony brings a sense of inner peace — something rare in today’s world.

The Islamic Art rooms prove that beauty knows no borders or creeds. They unite East and West, past and present. Standing in the heart of the Louvre, among these patterns and shafts of light, you realise that true art is the language of the soul, understood by anyone who can look with the heart.

Sculpture: frozen music in stone

In the Louvre Sculpture section a special silence prevails — not empty, but filled with the grandeur of forms, movements and feelings. Here stone speaks the language of emotion, and marble seems to breathe with life. These rooms show how human hands can breathe a soul into cold matter.

The Louvre’s sculpture collection brings together masterpieces from antiquity to the 18th century. Among them are Michelangelo’s famous “Slaves”, Canova’s tender “Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss”, refined statues by medieval masters and French sculpture of the classical age. Together they create a unified space where past and beauty merge into a single rhythm — frozen music in stone.

Every step in these rooms is a meeting with eternity. Gazes fixed in stone, touches brimming with tenderness, or a surge of movement captured in an instant — all of it comes alive in the visitor’s mind. And in that moment you understand: sculpture is not just form; it’s a state of the soul conveyed through matter.

The hall where the sculptures stand still is a journey into a beauty untouched by time. Here every shard of marble bears witness to humanity’s genius and its striving for the eternal. Perhaps it’s here you feel most keenly that true art never falls silent — it speaks without words, through stone, movement and light.

Decorative arts: beauty in the details

If painting and sculpture speak of the grandeur of the human spirit, the Decorative Arts at the Louvre showcase the beauty of everyday life. Every object here is proof of how the quest for harmony reveals itself even in the smallest things: in the curve of a goblet, the gleam of gold or the delicate lacework of porcelain.

This Louvre collection spans the Middle Ages to the 19th century. In the cases, the jewellery of French masters sparkles alongside household items from royal palaces, sumptuous furniture, carpets, tapestries and chests that once belonged to monarchs and aristocrats. Each artefact is a small masterpiece, created to surround people with beauty.

As you walk through these rooms, time seems to slow. Exquisite details, delicate materials, masterful craftsmanship — together they create an atmosphere of calm and luxury. Here, art stops being the preserve of an elite and becomes a language understood by anyone able to see beauty in simple things.

The Decorative Arts and Artefacts at the Louvre remind us that true beauty lives in the details. It’s born not only on canvas and in marble, but also in objects fashioned by human hands with love and inspiration. And it’s here you realise that aesthetics is a way of living beautifully — even in the little things.

Paintings: when the canvas comes to life

Among the Louvre’s endless rooms, there is a place where light and colour work wonders — the Paintings at the Louvre display. Each gallery feels like a universe of its own, where the canvases of great masters come alive under the viewer’s gaze. These are not merely paintings of the Louvre — they are living stories, emotions and the breath of time that touch the heart.

The Louvre’s painting collection gathers masterpieces of European art from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. Here you’ll find works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt, Veronese, Delacroix and many more. Centre stage, of course, is the enigmatic Mona Lisa, whose gaze has become a symbol not only of the Louvre but of art itself. Yet every canvas in this display has its own voice, its own story and its own energy.

Standing before the masters’ works, it feels as if centuries between viewer and painter fade away. The palette of colours, the brushstrokes, the play of light — everything springs to life, creating a unique dialogue between past and present. Here you realise that true art doesn’t age — it only grows in depth.

Graphic arts: the touch of a line that shapes the world

Among the many treasures of the Louvre is a room where beauty is born not from colour or marble, but from the line that trembles under the artist’s hand. The Graphic Arts display is the museum’s most intimate space, where you can see genius emerge from a simple stroke. Here you’ll find drawings, sketches, prints and watercolours in which artists left traces of their thoughts, doubts and inspiration.

The Louvre’s collection comprises more than 130,000 sheets, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Dürer, Poussin, Watteau, David and Delacroix. These works on paper are rarely shown all at once — they require special lighting and conservation conditions. But even a handful on view lets you feel the magic of the very moment when art is born before your eyes.

Graphic art is art at its most honest. Nothing superfluous — just paper, line and thought. It lets you step into the artist’s studio and see how a first movement becomes an idea that later turns into a masterpiece. This closeness to creation is what makes the display so special.

🌍 The Louvre: a journey with no end

After exploring the Louvre’s nine collections, you realise this is not just a museum — it is the history of humanity told in the language of art. From the earliest civilisations of the Ancient Near East and Egypt to the grandeur of Greece, Rome and the refined spirituality of Islamic art — every room reveals a new facet of our culture. Among sculptures, paintings and graphic works, a simple truth comes alive: art is the imprint of the human soul.

This museum doesn’t merely preserve masterpieces — it preserves memory. The memory of how we searched for beauty, forged symbols and believed in eternity. And when you leave the Louvre, the world seems different — a little deeper, wiser and full of meaning.

The Louvre is a journey that never truly ends. Even after you step out of its rooms, it continues in your imagination. Perhaps that is its magic — it doesn’t just show art; it teaches you to see it everywhere: in the light, in faces, in life itself.

These days travelling in France doesn’t have to start with suitcases and tickets. You can feel the spirit of Paris, admire the grandeur of the Louvre and soak up the atmosphere of its galleries without even leaving home — just switch on a film. The Louvre is not only the most famous museum in the world; it’s a true film star that has inspired directors and audiences across the globe for many years.

It’s instantly recognisable: the monumental glass pyramid, elegant arcades, the mirror-still pools — all have featured in dozens of cult classics. That’s why the Louvre museum complex in France has become a favourite location for filming in Paris, where history, architecture and art blend into perfect cinematic harmony. The stone walls of the former palace remember kings, artists and now film heroes who spring to life in every frame.

Today, the famous Louvre Museum in Paris is not only a historic landmark but an active player in the world of cinema. The museum carefully selects the projects it allows to film within its walls. Such productions become events in their own right — not every director is granted the honour of shooting among masterpieces that safeguard humanity’s memory. That’s why films shot in the Louvre feel like encounters between art and eternity.

One of the Louvre’s most iconic big-screen appearances is “The Da Vinci Code”. Key scenes unfold right here — conspiracies, the search for truth and Leonardo da Vinci’s mysterious symbols. Audiences worldwide saw for the first time the gallery where the “Mona Lisa” is displayed, along with the famous underground corridors of the Louvre leading beneath the glass pyramid.

The Louvre is just as striking in Luc Besson’s “Lucy”. In the finale, Scarlett Johansson’s character appears on the square before the pyramid — a moment symbolising the union of intellect, strength and the boundless potential of humankind. The scene became a cinematic metaphor for human development — and at the same time a visual hymn to the beauty and romance of Paris.

Other titles in which the Louvre or its forecourt plays a part include “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” (2011), “Fantômas Against Scotland Yard” (1967), as well as romantic French films where it appears as a place of meetings, inspiration and new love stories.

For travellers who love to combine art and cinema, visiting the Louvre is a chance not only to see masterpieces of painting, but to feel like the hero of a favourite film. You can walk through the very same galleries Tom Hanks did, or step onto the square where the camera captured the enchanting pyramid against the night sky. And perhaps take your own shot that becomes part of your personal Paris story.

So take the first step and set off on an exciting journey to France — a country where history lives in every stone and beauty is in every breath. Feel the magic of Paris, wander its narrow streets, visit the Louvre — the heart of French culture — and let this city stay with you for ever. After all, it’s with a trip to the Louvre that a true acquaintance with the soul of France begins — a country that inspires, enchants and gives fresh inspiration to everyone who sees it even once.

Of course, the Louvre is an outstanding and extraordinarily famous French landmark, a key driver of tourism and the true heart of cultural life. It is not only a place where priceless masterpieces are preserved, but also a space where you can truly unwind in Paris, feeling the harmony of art and time. It’s hard to imagine the Louvre without the legends, mysteries and incredible stories that surround it with an aura of intrigue and draw travellers from all over the world.

Over the centuries, the Louvre Museum in Paris has become a source not only of scholarly discoveries, but of myths passed down from generation to generation. Each one makes it even more compelling for tourists and art lovers alike.

• ⚔ Secrets of the Templars. Some of the Louvre’s most enigmatic legends are linked to the Order of the Templars. According to tradition, the fortress’s underground chambers once housed their relics and treasures, and after the order was disbanded some of their secrets remained within the palace walls. Even today, historians and mystics search for traces of these legendary warriors beneath the museum’s galleries.
• 🖼 The world’s largest museum. The exhibition space exceeds 72,000 square metres, and the number of objects on display is over 35,000. To see them all, you’d need to spend more than 100 days in the museum, giving each item just half a minute.
• 🧩 The mystery of the “Mona Lisa”. The Louvre’s most famous exhibit is the “Gioconda”. In 1911 it was stolen and returned only two years later. After this episode, the Mona Lisa gained worldwide fame, becoming the symbol of art’s enduring enigma.
• 🔺 The glass pyramid — the symbol of the Louvre. Installed in 1989 by architect Ieoh Ming Pei, it initially stirred controversy among Parisians, but later became one of France’s most recognisable architectural landmarks. A similar story befell the Eiffel Tower — it too was criticised at first, and today it is Paris’s most famous symbol.
• 👁 The legend of 666 panes. Rumour has it the glass pyramid is made up of 666 pieces — the “number of the beast” from the Book of Revelation, symbolising evil. In reality there are 673, but the legend is so popular it has become part of a cultural myth about hidden “Masonic symbols”.
• 👻 Ghosts of the Louvre. The most famous is the “Man in the Red Cloak”, said to appear at night in the museum’s corridors. He is believed to be the spirit of a butcher who was killed after learning too much about royal intrigues. Since then his soul has known no rest, wandering the Louvre’s passageways.
• 🎨 An unbroken story of art. The Louvre Museum collection is constantly growing. Every year the displays are enriched with new artefacts, while behind the scenes restorers work to return masterpieces to their original beauty.
• 💎 Napoleon and the pharaohs’ curse. When artefacts from Ancient Egypt arrived at the Louvre after Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign, some were said to carry the “pharaohs’ curse”. Legend has it that several members of the expedition died under mysterious circumstances after returning to Paris.

Every legend about the Louvre in Paris is a world of its own, where history intertwines with myth and art with human emotion. Perhaps it’s thanks to these stories that the Louvre became not just a museum, but a place where the soul of France lives.

Before heading to the Louvre, every traveller has dozens of questions: where to start, how to avoid the crowds around the Mona Lisa, where to buy tickets and how much time you need to see the headline masterpieces. After all, the Louvre Museum is not just an exhibition space but a whole world of history, art and legend that can easily overwhelm even seasoned visitors. We’ve gathered answers to the most frequent questions so your introduction to the heart of France is easy, engaging and truly unforgettable.