Paris - Louvre Museum & Mona Lisa

Although it’s one of the world’s most famous museums, the Louvre was originally built as a palace in 1190. It was officially opened as a museum in 1793 after the French Revolution. The slogan of the Revolution: “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité”—Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, Equality meant that everybody was now equal and free, and the palace that was only meant for royalty opened its doors to the people of Paris. It seems almost weird to think that this museum which hosts the famous Mona Lisa along with its 35 000 other art pieces started out with as little as 537 paintings. Entrance fee to the Louvre is only €9 and the restaurant inside has waffles to die for.

The Glass Pyramids of the Louvre was added in 1988 and the inverted pyramid (inside) was completed in 1993. This was done in an attempt to accommodate the increasing number of visitors to the Louvre. Many people did not approve of the glass pyramids because of its contrasting architectural style in relation to the actual building, but its functional advantage (it allows for sunlight to enter the building) quickly swayed its critics.