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Medieval Louvre

ABOVE: Foundation walls line an empty moat beneath the Louvre Museum.

By Durant Imboden

The Louvre Museum has been a "Grand Gallery" since 1793. But long before it became a public museum, the Louvre was a fortress dating back to the reign of Philippe Auguste, the French king who paved the streets and built the walls of Paris.

Thanks to archaeological excavations in the mid-1980s, a "Medieval Louvre" exhibition beneath the Louvre Museum's Coeur Carré courtyard now lets visitors explore the ruins of the castle that existed from 1190 AD until the early 16th Century, when the keep was torn down to make way for the Renaissance palace that survives as the Musée du Louvre.

The Medieval Louvre is on the lower level of the museum's Sully Wing. Since 2016, the excavations have been part of a larger exhibit about the palace and its history that was created at a cost of €7 million. Admission is included in your Louvre ticket.

For details, including the museum's opening times and ticket prices, visit the Louvre's Visitor Information page.

More photos:

Grosse Tour, Medieval Louvre

The Grosse Tour, or keep, was 30 meters high and 15 meters across in its heyday. It was used as a fortress and arsenal.

Except for the foundations shown here, the tower was demolished in 1527 during the reign of François I.

Footpath in Louvre Museum's Sully Wing

A footpath leads visitors through the excavated ruins beneath the Louvre's Sully Wing.

Model of Louvre in the time of Philippe Auguste (medieval fortress)

A model shows the Louvre of Philippe Auguste. The medieval fortress was similar in style to the Conciergerie, with 10 towers, high walls, and a moat.

Louvre Museum Egyptian Collection

The Medieval Louvre excavations are in the museum's Sully Wing, next door to the Egyptian Collection.