Paris

Paris - Louvre - Pei Pyramid Reflection

Completed in 1984, the Pyramid was conceived by I.M. Pei. This image was taken just as the sunset with the good fortune of no wind enabling a real nice reflection. Under the Pyramid are the main entrances to the Louvre museums.

Paris - Louvre - Cupid and Psyche (Amor e Psique)

I would say this is the most beautiful statue I saw at the Louvre. The lighting was unique - the sun shining into the window at just the right time. Or you could say that we were there just at the right time to catch the sun shining through the window. "Antonio Canova's statue Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss, first commissioned in 1787, exemplifies the Neoclassical obsession with love and emotion. It represents the god Cupid in the height of love and tenderness, right after awakening the lifeless Psyche with a kiss, a scene excerpted from Lucius Apuleius' The Golden Ass. A masterpiece of its period, it appeals to the senses of sight and touch, yet simultaneously alludes to the Romantic interest in emotion co-existing with Neoclassicism." Quote from Wikipedia

Paris - Arc de Triomphe Stairwell

To get to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, it requires 284 steps. This is the view from the top of the main stairwell.

Paris - Louvre - Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It was commissioned in 1806 after the victory at Austerlitz by Emperor Napoleon at the peak of his fortunes. Laying the foundations alone took two years, and in 1810 when Napoleon entered Paris from the west with his bride Archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria, he had a wooden mock-up of the completed arch constructed. The architect Jean Chalgrin died in 1811, and the work was taken over by Jean-Nicolas Huyot. During the Restoration, construction was halted and would not be completed until the reign of King Louis-Philippe, in 1833 when the architects on site were Goust, then Huyot, Napoleon's body passed under it on 15 December 1840 on its way to its second and final resting place at Les Invalides. From Wikipedia

Paris - Louvre - Pyramid in the Lights

When the lights come on inside the pyramid, the view is very different. This angle includes the Arc de Triomphe (Arc of Triumph) far in the background.

Paris - Louvre - Louis XIV

Gian Lorenzo Bernini: (1598-1680) was a Jack-of-all-trades. He was a playwright, a painter, a composer, an architect, a theater designer, and caricaturist. However, he was most known for his sculpting. Louis was so pleased with Bernini's work that he granted him an annual pension and in 1665 commissioned him to sculpt an equestrian statue of himself. This was to be Bernini's last royal symbol of the king. The original statue was actually carved from a single block of Carrara marble by Bernini's students and was completed prior to 1673. This classic, glorified flourish of Baroque art was not sent to Versailles until 1685, five years after the sculptor's death. Louis took an instant dislike to it. He first ordered it to be broken into pieces but relented and had it exiled to the far end of the gardens near the Pool of the Swiss Guards after his likeness was removed. Text from http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMVD3

Paris - Louvre - Stairway to Pyramid

Underneath the Pei Pyramid are the public entrances to the Louvre's many museums. This stairway is one of the ways to get from the underground to the surface. You will be inside the Pyramid once you get to the top of the stairwell.

Paris - Louvre - Eiffel Tower

Completed in 1889 and made out of iron, the Eiffel Tower has been maintained quite well with intent to last well into the future. It is the most visited paid monument in the world with over two-hundred million visitors.

Paris - Louvre - Palais de Justice

A beautiful gilded gate on Boulevard du Palais, near Notre Dame Cathedral.

Paris - Notre Dame Cathedral

To the right is the Statue of Charlemagne. Construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral began in 1163 and was completed in 1345. During the French Revolution, much of the imagery was damaged or destroyed. It was rebuilt in the 19th century.

Paris - Notre Dame Cathedral Alter

Example of the grand architecture and colors.

Paris - Notre Dame Cathedral

Beautiful lighting, beautiful statue.

Paris - Louvre Ceiling

I laid on my back, took multiple photos and merged them together for this shot.