The Louvre started as a fortress for the French, built around the year 1200 AD. It was built near the city limits and the Seine River banks as additional protection to the defense of Paris by King Philippe Augustes. It was first used as an arsenal and as a prison and wasn’t until Charles the 5th that it was transformed into a royal residence around 1369 and moved into it. The Louvre was home to French kings from 1369 through 1422 and then again from 1527 through 1793. During the French revolution the revolutionaries forced the royal family to move back to Paris and to remain in the Louvre palace, it was also decided to make the Louvre Palace a place to store all the scientific and artistic treasures. In 1793 the Louvre became the Central Art Museum. Since then the Louvre has become a world famous museum because of its rich art collections. In 1981 the remaining official government offices were moved out of the Louvre and the palace became entirely devoted to its function as a museum. The Louvre houses some of the world’s greatest pieces of art including the Mona Lisa the world’s most famous painting. It is also the world’s most visited museum and the fourth largest museum.
"Le Grand Louvre: History." WebMuseum:. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2013. <http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paris/hist/louvre-history.html>.
"History of the Louvre From Château to Museum." N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2013. <http://www.louvre.fr/en/history-louvre>.
"Le Grand Louvre: History." WebMuseum:. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2013. <http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paris/hist/louvre-history.html>.
"History of the Louvre From Château to Museum." N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2013. <http://www.louvre.fr/en/history-louvre>.