Louvre Museum, France
Pictured is the Louvre Museum when it was abandoned during World War II in Paris, France. The Louvre Museum was first established in 1793 and is the world’s largest art museum and one of the most historic monuments in Paris. It is the central landmark of the city, as it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the city’s first arrondissement.
There are approximately 35,000 objects within the museum, dating back from prehistory to the 21st century. In 2018, the Louvre was the world’s most visited art museum with an astounding 10.2 million visitors.
The museum was first opened on August 10, 1793, with only 537 paintings on display. Due to several structural issues that accompanied the building, the Louvre had to be closed in 1796 until 1801. After reopening, the collection of art was increased under Napoleon and the museum was renamed ‘Musee Napoleon.’ The collection continued to increase over the years when eventually the museum owned 20,000 pieces during the Second French Empire.
During World War I, the expansion of the museum was quite slow and there were no new works appearing that were of great significance. At the beginning of World War II, the majority of the art collection was removed from the museum, and more valuable pieces were hidden. When Germany ended up occupying the Sudetenland, much more important artworks such as the Mona Lisa, were removed and sent to the Chateau de Chambord.
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