 Established in 1793 by the French Republic, the Louvre Museum is one of the oldest European museums. Originally a medieval fortress constructed at the end of the 12th century by King Philippe Auguste, and then a palace for the kings of France, the Louvre represents over 800 years of history.Divided into eight departments covering four floors, the Louvre collections incorporate works dating from the birth of the great antique civilisations right up to the first half of the 19th century. |