Original Purpose of the Louvre: A 12th-Century Fortress

The Louvre began as a fortress built circa 1190 by King Philip II Augustus to protect Paris's western approach. Its massive keep (the Grosse Tour) and moat anchored the city wall.

By the 14th century, it became a royal residence (Charles V). Francis I and later monarchs transformed it into a Renaissance palace. After Louis XIV moved to Versailles (1682), it housed artists and academies. The French Revolution opened it as a public museum in 1793.

Today's glass pyramid (1989) crowns a complex that evolved from military stronghold to global art sanctuary.