Louvre Pyramid

The glass pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre, built from 1985 to 1989, serves as the main entrance and is a landmark of the city of Paris.

History

Two hundred years after the French Revolution the Louvre was to be his true destiny passed as " universal Lyceum " according to the wishes of the French President François Mitterrand. This should be another of his "big projects " that should provide a contribution to the cultural renaissance of France. His idea was to convert the palace from the 13th century into the largest museum in the world. For this, a new entrance with a subterranean hall was to be built, seeded the previous Ministry wing as well as underground car parks are created. Mitterrand awarded for the overall project to the famous Chinese-American architect IM Pei a direct order.

The pyramid was initially highly controversial and provoked the ridicule of the critics who claimed that Mitterrand had let this build the grave chamber of the Socialists. On allegations against the form that is associated with burial, Pei said:

"The form is older than all Egyptian models. She is also there in stone and heavy, a work for the dead. My Pyramid is easy is life. "

Mitterrand opened the glass pyramid on 29 March 1989. According to this first phase was followed by a further expansion of the museum complex.

Data

The pyramid consists of 603 rhombus-shaped and 70 triangular glass segments. It is 21.65 meters high, 35.42 meters wide, about 51 degrees steep and about 180 tons.

Modeled on the proportions of the Great Pyramid of Giza.