The Louvre - One of the World's Largest and Most Visited Museums...

SSD_8134Despite the fact that the Louvre has nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 19th century, the building is a work of art in itself. The Louvre began as a fortress in the late 12th century and, in 1682, Louis XIV left for Versailles which left the Louvre primarily as a place to SSD_8174display the royal collection. The Louvre was altered frequently throughout the middle ages and in the 14th century Charles V converted the building into a residence. The Louvre was transformed into a public museum during the French revolution.

One of the most popular pieces in the Louvre is Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. The picture is smaller than expected, is a popular picture for visitors to see, and is protected by bullet proof glass - which make its viewing a little under whelming.

SSD_8239One of the most fascinating pieces in the Louvre's collection is the Code of Hammurabi. Dating back to 1772 B.C. this well preserved Babylonian code is one of the oldest known deciphered writings in the world. King Hammurabi enacted the code of laws including punishments such as "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" and also addresses issues concerning relationships, inheritance, and divorce.

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