Wanderlust World Wanderlust World
* 1190: King Philip II Augustus of France builds a fortress on the site of the Louvre.
* 1317: The Louvre becomes a royal palace.
* 1546: King Francis I begins a major renovation of the Louvre, transforming it into a Renaissance palace.
* 1682: King Louis XIV moves the royal court from the Louvre to Versailles.
* 1793: The Louvre is converted into a museum.
* 1799: Napoleon Bonaparte brings looted art from Italy and other conquered countries to the Louvre.
* 1803: The Louvre is officially opened to the public.
* 1848: The Second French Republic is proclaimed from the Louvre.
* 1871: The Paris Commune is proclaimed from the Louvre.
* 1940: The Louvre is closed during the German occupation of France.
* 1945: The Louvre reopens after the liberation of Paris.
* 1959: The Mona Lisa is stolen from the Louvre, but is recovered two years later.
* 1981: The Louvre Pyramid, designed by I.M. Pei, is opened.
* 2008: The Louvre becomes the most-visited museum in the world, with 8.3 million visitors.
Additional Notable Events
* In 1789, the mob storms the Louvre and vandalizes many of the works of art.
* In 1804, Napoleon is crowned emperor at the Louvre.
* In 1815, the Louvre is looted by the Allied armies after Napoleon's defeat.
* In 1918, the Louvre is hit by an aerial bomb during World War I.
* In 1940, the Louvre is closed to the public during the German occupation of France.
* In 1944, the Louvre is damaged by Allied bombs during the liberation of Paris.
* In 1959, the Mona Lisa is stolen from the Louvre, but is recovered two years later.
* In 1981, the Louvre Pyramid, designed by I.M. Pei, is opened.
* In 2008, the Louvre becomes the most-visited museum in the world, with 8.3 million visitors.