Palate of Louvre

The palate of Louvre is an old royal palace located at Paris on Right Bank of the Seine, between the garden of the Tuileries and the church Saint-Germain-the Auxerrois. It is today one of the richest museums of art of the world (see Musée of Louvre).

The construction of Louvre extends on nearly one millenium, and it is indissociable history of the town of Paris.

Origin of the name

The first fortress of Louvre, under Philippe Auguste, was built on a locality named Lupara , whose etymology is unknown. But a usually allowed assumption is the bringing together with Latin lupus , who would let suppose that the locality was inhabited by wolves.

Another assumption makes go up the origin of the name Louvre with former French lauer or lower which meant “turn of guet”.

It is rather the Saxon one (and not of former French) - direct consequence of the occupation of the Francs saliens (or Sicambres: Mérovée, Childéric, Clovis…), whose language is Germanic and nonLatin - that Henri Sauval (historian French 1623-1676) deduced the origin from the word " Louvre". In this language, which already provided the etymology of many place names in the country of Parisis (Stains - > Stein, Château of the Email: Mâhl, word which means “assembled” in the franque language, Ermenonville: Ermenoldi Villa…), the word " leovar, lovar, to coil, leower or lower" mean castle or strengthened camp.

At the 5th century, the Anglo-Saxon people, with the explicit agreement of the Roman Empire, “seize” the north of Western Europe. They are constituted there in communities instructed by the Empire to defend it of a possible external attack. It is besides into 463 that Childéric and Aegedius pushed back the Visigoths in Orleans.

Then integration is made “roots”. The inescapable deliquescence of the Empire accelerates the process. And when new Sicambres go down with Mérovée until in the plains from Parisis, the Francs fraternize with those of their nation which are there already. They set up an enough powerful group then to push until Lutèce. If they do not manage to seize some, they at least build under its same walls the solid establishment about which we speak: a “lower”, a strengthened camp. This “lower” was to already exist on Right Bank of the Seine of the time of Mérovée and had to represent a constant threat during the ten years of seat which the capital of the time of Sainte Genevieve knew.

Lutèce, armed and defended, was the first serious obstacle which Clovis met, because it represented for him the key of the remainder of the territory. The seat, for lack of means for an attack of great scale, was finally only one blockade, which taken end with the conversion of Clovis to Christianity.

One can suppose the importance for the Mérovingiens of such a strengthened camp. This famous “lower” allowed them, even by leaving only some troops there, to hold the city in respect, to cut the vivres to him and to review support of it when they wanted to try a serious attack.

There was, following this persistent occupation, two cities face to face: the city Gallo-Roman on the one hand and the unceasingly reinforced franque installation on the other hand.

It is thus most probably this same name of “strengthened camp” as the Francs, of “leowar” or “lower” (its Anglo-Saxon form) made evolve/move in “Luver”, “Luvre” and finally “Louvre”, the current word which we already find in a charter of 1198. The amalgam was made thereafter because of its resemblance to “the Louvre”, word derived from the Vulgar Latin will lupara , she-wolf or louvery. Indeed, the forest extended then to the peripheral districts from the current capital and the presence of canidés with the doors of the capital is proven.

Thereafter Clovis and its successors did not forget that their domination had been initially exerted on northern bank of the Seine. Whereas they neglected the development of Paris of the other bank which had resisted to them so a long time, they created on Right Bank a rival city: new Paris. Taranne, in its notes of translation of the poem of Abbon, makes the note: of it: “Paris, Gallo-Roman city, had increased considerably at midday; Paris, franque city, extended more towards north”.

The city thus increased each day in this part of north when it was under the threat of another conquest where there were for it only ruins and desolation. The Normands, which could without obstacle go up the Seine, made of Paris during at least fifty years their principal destination of conquest. To give a fulcrum to their attacks - and benefitting from what the Parisian ones had not begun again to defend the place of which one had already been used for oneself to attack them - it is on the site of the old camp of Clovis (and around Saint-Germain-the-Round, current Saint-Germain-the Auxerrois), that the Norman ones were established. Its ramparts constituted a solid shelter. It was about a true fortress defended by broad palisades, a rampart of stones and broad ditches. The arrival of the emperor with a considerable army changed nothing there. And this rather by cowardice that by military impotence: instead of finishing some by a decisive attack, Charles the Large treated with the Norman ones. He paid them an incommensurable tribute in exchange of… their departure! A ransom in some kind. But during twenty years still they returned, until is yielded to Rollon, their chief, the territory called today Normandy (911 - Traité Saint-Clearly-on-Epte).

Later, close to the place where Clovis had camped, was one of the most known furnaces of Paris: “Furnus de Lovres”, as it is called in the “Black Book”, at the date of 1203. It was in main street parallel in the Seine, which crossed all Paris of Right Bank, while being prolonged in the west towards the new city, where it taken the street name Saint-Honore.

For the destructive passage of Norman, it was necessary to rebuild. And it is by the parish of Saint-Germain the Resident of Auxerre that one started. This building is currently located vis-a-vis the colonnade of Louvre. He is symmetrically opposed to the current town hall of the first district which is next to it, with, in the center, a blazing Gothic bell-tower of style, images among so many others of the “Pastiche” of the 19th century.

The king Robert rebuilt this basilica, which one had strong evil repaired the ruins. The district, whose Saint-Germain was the center, had become a kind of new Paris attached to the sides of old.

It is with its departure for the crusades in company of Richard Lion-hearted, that Philippe Auguste undertakes into 1190 to protect its City from any attack external - and in particular from those of his/her parents and nevertheless rival applicants with the throne of France: the Plantagenêt. The new enclosure, whose construction lasts nearly twenty years, then surrounds Paris old and modern of then and is prolonged until the site of the camp whose Clovis and the Norman ones had already made their stronghold. The consonance of the word remained in the memories and the place previously became old “the luver” or “luvre” definite. It is thus quite naturally with the edge of this wall, that Philippe Auguste decides to build what will become the Parisian fortress par excellence, and later one of the most prestigious palates of the world.

Louvre medieval

It is by wanting to reinforce the defense of the town of Paris, in order to make the political and religious center of it kingdom, that Philippe Auguste makes build a large enclosure surrounding the city. Louvre is then a keep strongly strengthened, located at the west of the wall. Included/understood in a reinforced quadrilateral enclosure of ten turns of defense, the 31 19 m meters high and broad keep had a strictly defensive vocation.

Under Philippe Beautiful the, the castle knows an important enlarging, new rooms being built without real defensive goal, like the room Saint-Louis (1230-1240). One also transfers the royal treasure to it, giving a new character to the fortress.

However, it is under Charles V that the palate becomes royal residence. After having repressed the revolt of the provost of the merchants Etienne Marcel, it completes a new rampart to protect the city which then developed considerably extra-muros. Louvre located before outside the wall of Philippe Auguste, is included in this new defensive system. The castle takes a double function then: in addition to its protective role, it becomes one of the residences of the king and the court, with the Château of Vincennes, the Hôtel Saint-Paul in the Marais and the palate of the island of the City.
Architecturalement, of the innovations appears, in particular a large helicoid staircase engaged in the wall of the keep, said the large screw , which is decorated with effigies of the royal family. Louvre opens on the city which becomes at this period an important center of luxury, and Charles V, large art lover, transfers part of his library in the tower from the bookstore. According to an inventory of 1373, this one did not comprise less than twelve thousand manuscripts and was divided into three parts: one devoted to the treaties of governments, another with the novels, and the last with the religious books. Another part of the library of Charles V was in Vincennes.

The castle also has an major importance as a symbol of the royal authority. Until the Revolution, all the Fief S depending directly on the king are known as to raise of the large tower of Louvre , even after the destruction of this one! Louvre east thus, if one can thus express it, the seat of the feudal authority of the king, whereas the royal palace of the City, become the law courts, is the seat of the sovereign aspect of its authority, of which its most eminent function: justice.

Louvre with the Rebirth

On its return of captivity in Spain, François Ier orders to the aldermen of Louvre to restore the Palate of Charles V ruined during the Guerre One hundred Year old. This request, which falls under a strong will on behalf of the king to harden the capacity, will be however followed concrete acts only on one long run. François Ier, who first of all seeks residences of pleasure along the Loire, gradually approaches the capital while making set up the Château of Madrid and that of Fontainebleau. The restoration of Louvre is a new step crossed in this bringing together towards Paris.

One starts first of all by arranging the accesses of Louvre in connection with the Pont with the Exchange, in order to open the capital towards the west. In 1528 takes place the destruction of the central keep, which inserts the old medieval castle in the rebirth. However, work of refittings of the wings will take time. In 1539, at the time of the passage of Charles Quint in Paris, this one cannot be placed in Louvre, which gives to François Ier more motivation to really build a modern palate.

It is in 1546 that the project of the architect Pierre Lescot less ambitious but more concrete than the others presented, is adopted. The plan consists of a quadrangular court (current square court), the principal wing separated by a monumental staircase in the center, and the two wings on the sides comprising only one stage. The death of François Ier stops the project however.

The advent of Henri II sees the plan changing somewhat: Pierre Lescot is maintained with the head of work, but the staircase (current staircase Henri II) is pushed back in north, allowing the design of a big room the ground floor which can shelter the records of the court (room of the caryatids). With died of the king in 1559, the district around Louvre is considerably densified, but the castle still remains very medieval, having only one wing of Renaissance style.

Catherine de Médicis then takes again in hand the restoration of the palate, allowing the creation of important gardens, and the Palais of Tileries. This one is started in 1564, apart from the enclosure of Charles V, one year hardly after the repurchase of the ground to the tile makers who lived it, from where its name. The architect Philibert Delorme begins the project; he is replaced after his death in 1570 by Jean Bullant, also originator of the Château of Écouen. This one creates a large house of angle (the current house of Flora) and the small gallery.

During the wars of religion, the palate is used as place of residence with the royal family when it comes to Paris, in particular at the time of the weddings of Marguerite de Valois (which led to the Massacre of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre). Starting from the reign of Henri III, it becomes the principal residence of king de France and until the end of the reign of Louis XIII will remain it.

Henri IV and Louvre: birth of the Great Intention

Arrived at the head of a ruined country, Henri IV helped of his minister Sully takes immediate measures to alleviate the religious conflict which ensanglante France. By taking again in hand the political matters, the new sovereign gives at the same time a new dash to the building site of Louvre, in his will of economic revival by great municipal work. This will to increase the Louvre, which takes the name of Grand Intention is accompanied besides by a cleansing of the surrounding district.

The Great Intention pursues several goals:

removal of the vestiges of Louvre medieval
the construction of a square court on the basis of Lescot wing already built (surface multiplied by four compared to that of the medieval court)
the meeting of Louvre to Tileries
the expropriation of the districts between Louvre and Tileries.

A gigantic building site is then set up between 1594 and 1610, this last year seeing the completion of the large gallery , or gallery of the edge of the water , which carries out the junction between Louvre and Tuileries. Long and broad of nine, this realization sixty meters rises on two levels, and is the work of several architects, like Jacques Androuet of the Hoop. If the carcass work heavy castings are completed since 1600, it is not the case of the decoration, which is combined around the effigies of kings de France since Pharamond to Henri IV, according to a program of Antoine of Laval. At the ground floor, shops open in north, while the residences are located at the mezzanine, a passage on the first floor. It is also with under the reign of Henri IV that the small gallery is finished. However, the death of this one carries a crushing argument to work, whereas the district is still densified. Louvre medieval remainder in place.

The reign of Louis XIII (1610-1643)

The absence of work under the regency of Marie de Médicis allows the installation in the district of the private mansions of large of the kingdom, aligned on structured streets, including/understanding each one an entry on street and a garden. Also, when Louis XIII takes up the idea of the great intention, it seems difficult to continue exactly the idea of Henri IV.

It is the architect Jacques Lemercier who is then in charge of the modernization of the Louvre old man. He first of all makes continue the square court, while respecting the initial style of Lescot, and by giving a big role to the houses. He reproduces in north the Lescot wing to keep a harmonious symmetry. The sculptors Jacques Sarazin, Gilles Guerin, Philippe de Brister carry out the decoration of the new bodies of building. As for the decoration of the gallery of the edge of water, it is with Poussin that it is appealed, in order to carry out a rather traditional program imagined by Lemercier, around the towns of France. However, the painter regains Rome in 1642, one year after having started his work, which it leaves largely unfinished. Louis XIII dies one year later without no new decision being made.

Louvre under Louis XIV

With Anne of Austria and Mazarin, many artists arrive from Italy, and give to the French capital a new style of Italian influence. Two new architects start to emerge: Louis Vau and Guerin, but no great construction is undertaken in the palate of Louvre. It is simply necessary to announce to the ground floor of the small gallery the installation of the apartments of summer of Anne of Austria, which are redécorés between 1655 and 1658.

It is necessary to await a royal decree of October 31st, 1660 so that once again, the great intention is taken again, with for architect principal Louis Vau. Not only the interior project is taken again for the square court, but an extension towards the south is envisaged (bridge and college of the four nations), which gives a new political dimension to the business, the college of the four nations being used for recruitment of the royal administration. However, between 1660 and 1664, only the beginning of the bridge of peace is really carried out.

In 1664, Colbert takes in hand the superintendence of the buildings of the king: Louvre and arts must from now on play a determining role in the attempt to institute a government centralized around the person of the king. The project of Vau is stopped, and since 1664, this one must engage the prolongation of Tileries, while gardens with the Frenchwoman are arranged by André Ours. Colbert also seeks to give an access testifying to the importance of the urban project, with in the east a great access starting from the royal place. Several projects, French and Italian architects, are proposed, including three by Bernin itself, come purposely from Italy. It poses the first stone in 1665, but flees quickly, victim of cabals. Colbert will write about its projects: " Mr. the Bernin rider thought well only of the frontage of this splendid palate at all to his functionality, which is undoubtedly superb and splendid, except for the oval which rises in couronne" A new project, monumental and completely traditional, suggested by a small council made up of Vau, Charles Le Brun and Claude Perrault, then is proposed and started. However, the abandonment of Louvre for Versailles in 1678 will leave it unfinished.

The realization of the colonnade is not however the only modification which will take place in Louvre during the personal reign of Louis XIV. The fire of the small gallery in 1661 armature its rebuilding by Vau (at the end of 1664), then its doubling in height (Gallery of Apollo, initiator of the French classicism) in 1665. The square court is refitted, just like Tileries, which undergo the removal of the court, between 1664 and 1668.

The Louvre of Louis XIV with the Revolution

Given up by Louis XIV with the profit of Castle of Versailles, Louvre quickly is deserted, occupied only occasionally at the time of royal visits or councils. The Great Intention and work of Colbert are abandoned whereas the square court is not completed, that the colonnade is deprived of roof and that a dense district is installed between Louvre and Tuileries. The aristocracy deserting the place, a new poorer population settles there.

As of 1692, Louvre is invested by academies: that of painting and sculpture moves in on this date in the large living room and the rooms neighbor, and that of architecture, always this same year, invades the apartments of the queen. The year 1697 mark the arrival of the academy of policy, which deploys its relief maps in the large gallery, and 1699 that of the Academy of Science. Royal printing works also takes its districts in the palate

In addition to the academies which sat there, Louvre was the housing of artists who moved in there with complete freedom, and were issued there rights involving progressive degradation of the buildings. Louvre thus worsens little by little, causing soon reactions on behalf of the contemporary thinkers. Most famous is undoubtedly that of Voltaire, through this famous quatrain:

Louvre, palate pompeux whose France honors itself,

Would be worthy of Louis, your Master and your support

Sors the ashamed state where the universe detests you

And in all your glare you shows: like him

However, other intellectuals do not hesitate to publish lampoons blaming the state of the palate, and across the policy of Louis XV in term of construction. Thus, in 1752, Lafont de Saint-Yenne publishes a small work entitled the shade of large Colbert, dialogs between Louvre and Paris which will make great noise.

It should not be believed however that the superintendent of the buildings of the king, the marquis de Marigny, brother of the marchioness of Pompadour, remains inactive. In spite of a budget the most limited of, he manages to make complete the square court, by Jacques-Germain Soufflot and Gabriel, although he is not any more question of the Great Intention.

In 1779, with the accession with the superintendence of Angivillers, Louvre finds a certain fortune. The idea to constitute a museum starting from royal collections there, already advanced by Marigny, was taken up by the new superintendent who wanted to carry out suitable installations inside the palate. The difficulty of the Large Gallery arose then, in connection with which a reflection on was ordered from Soufflot. It succeeds several ideas:

removal of the unfinished decoration of Chick
the construction of a brick vault to improve the fire-protection
reinforcement of the floors
improvement of lighting by the digging of window and oculi to the birth of the vaults.

Those did not have however time to be put into practice.

Louvre under the Revolution: birth of the museum

The Third Republic and destruction of Tileries

After the tragic events of the Commune which led to the fire of Tileries and the northern wing of Louvre, the new republican government charged Lefuel with rebuilding the Pavillon of Marsan on the model of what it had already carried out with the Pavillon of Flora as well as part of the Rohan wing. This work was spread out of 1874 to 1880 but the lack of money prevented Lefuel from building during Pavillon of the Sessions, which was to shelter a theater, as well as the large counters in north, similar to those already built in the south.

Tileries remained in ruin during twelve years. But since 1874, in margin of the rebuilding of the house of Marsan, one had already shaved the two side wings of Tileries. The central part between house of the Vault (old house of the theater) and Bullant house remained in the state. In spite of an excellent state of conservation of the ruins, the Third Republic preferred to destroy this symbol of the capacity of the deposed modes by deliberately occulting the central role of Tileries in the history of the First Republic.

Of course, it was envisaged to rebuild a building which would point out the proportions of the palate disappeared in order to install a museum of modern art there, but political instability will perdura and deferred any decision. Indeed over these twelve years of indecision, one did not have less than three presidencies and seventeen ministries to destroy national work.

It is not too strong of speaking about destruction of the Great Intention: one destroyed the cause even which had given him birth, the palate of Tileries.

A National committee for the rebuilding of Tileries proposes to rebuild Tileries with identical, in order to restore the overall harmony while considering the advantage which would be an enlarging of the Museum of the Louvre which lacks place.

The palate today

The palate accommodates today:

the Museum of Louvre,
central Union of decorative arts (UCAD) and its collections (decorative arts, mode and textile, publicity) like its library and " workshops of Carousel" ,
the School of Louvre (Rohan sites and Flore),
the Research center and of restoration of the museums of France (C2RMF): laboratory of the Carousel and workshops of Flora,
commercial arcades of the Carousel of Louvre: 16.000 square meters, more than 50 shops,
spaces of exposure " Carousel of Louvre" from Paris Expo: 7.100 square meters, 4 rooms intended to accommodate demonstrations of prestige,

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