| This great translucent pyramid, 71 feet (21.7 m) high, was erected in 1988 in the heart of the Palais du Louvre in Paris, one of the largest museums in the world. The pyramid, which sits atop the reception area, is composed of 673 diamond-shaped and triangular glass panes, mounted on a metallic framework weighing more than 95 tons—a true technological marvel. The pyramid, however, is only the most apparent element among the renovations made to the museum in a large-scale restructuring project led by the American architect I. M. Pei. This contemporary structure, set off by a cluster of historic buildings that served as the residence of the kings of France, has become the symbol of the Louvre Museum. The museum has a collection of 30,000 works of art, visited by more than 6 million visitors in 2000.
Visit the YAB Gallery for books and signed prints |