April 10, 2009
Paris
Our morning was spent at the the estate of Versailles which is one of the most prestigious of the world's heritage sites. It was a former hunting lodge of King Louis XIII and was transformed by his son Louis XIV who installed his court and government there.
There were taken at Royal Courtyard:
At the center of the palace is the Hall of Mirrors, a huge gallery with 17 windows overlooking the gardens, matched by enormous mirros on the opposite wall.
This is the suite of Marie-Antoinette:
Here are the immense formal gardens of the palace:
Latone fountain:
Apollo fountain:
Here is a picturesque street just outside the estate:
It was already late in the afternoon when we left Versailles to go to Louvre museum which is one of the grandest museums in the world. It houses some of the most famous works like the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and Winged Victory of Samothrace.
Louvre has a vast collection of European paintings from the mid-13th century to the mid-19th century. Here are some Italian Paintings:
Leonardo da Vinci - Mona Lisa
Leonardo da Vinci - The Virgin of the Rocks
Leonardo da Vinci - The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne
Veronese - The Wedding Feast at Cana
Cimabue - Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels
Giovanni Paolo Pannini - Gallery of Views of Ancient Rome
Louvre also has works from three ancient civilisations: Greece, Etruria, and Rome. Here are some Etruscan and Roman Antiquities:
Here are a few of the Greek Antiquities:
Venus de Milo
There are also European sculptures from the Late Middle Ages to the mid-19th Century. The collections mainly include French works:
Collections also contain significant pieces from Northern Europe, Spain and Italy. These ones are from Italy:
Michelangelo - The Dying Slave
A. Canova - Psyche and Cupid
Besides paintings, sculptures, and antiquities, these are also some Crown jewels which are displayed at Apollo gallery:
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