1. © 2011 wheresjenny.com Le Louvre museum

2. © 2011 wheresjenny.com Le Louvre museum The Louvre, which is a magnificent structure along the banks of the Seine River in Paris, is the world's largest museum, which has housed priceless art in France since 1793. The Louvre was built as a fortress at the order of King Phillipe-Auguste. The Louvre was reconstructed in the 16th century to serve as a royal palace, and then, in 1793, it became a fine art museum. The Louvre's permanent art collection spans a massive space with works of art divided into eight departments: the Near Eastern Antiquities, Egyptian Antiquities, Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities, Islamic Art, Sculptures, Decorative Arts, Paintings and Prints and Drawings. Long managed by the French state under the Réunion des Musées Nationaux the Louvre has recently acquired powers of self-management as an "Etablissement Public Autonome" in order to better manage its growth. Since September 14, 2005, the Louvre museum has gradually forbidden the taking of photos of its artworks. SUMMARY

3. © 2011 wheresjenny.com Le Louvre museum VOCABULARY FORTRESS: Any place of exceptional security MAGNIFICENT: Making a splendid appearance or show UNQUENCHABLE : Impossible to satisfy FORBIDDEN: Restricted RESTORATION: The act of restoring or bringing back to a former condition

4. © 2011 wheresjenny.com Le Louvre museum English French Fortress forteresse Magnificent magnifique Unquenchable inextinguible Forbidden Interdit Restoration restauration

5. © 2011 wheresjenny.com Le Louvre museum. Venus de Milo Nike of SamothraceThe Dying Slave by Michelangelo Mona Lisa Most famous works of art in the museum

6. © 2011 wheresjenny.com Le Louvre museum Louvre from inside

7. © 2011 wheresjenny.com Le Louvre museum The Genius Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was a: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer and botanist. Leonardo has often been described as, a man of "unquenchable curiosity" and "feverishly inventive imagination". He is widely considered to be one of the greatest painters of all time and perhaps the most diversely talented person ever to have lived.

8. © 2011 wheresjenny.com BacchusSt. John the Baptist The Virgin and the child with saint Anne Portrait of Isabella d'EsteLa belle ferronnièreVirgin of the Rocks Le Louvre museum Da Vinci in Louvre