Musée du Louvre courtyard, Paris

Ref: 100826-8267     Date: 26-08-2010

A view of the Louvre Museum courtyard, Paris. The visitors in the centre of the photo appear to be wading through the pool, but they are in fact on dry land. Construction of the Louvre as a fortified royal palace began in the 12th century. Throughout the Medieval period it was extended again and again until the end of the 17th century when the royal family moved to Versailles. Thereafter the Louvre was used for housing state collections and as a museum.