France 2025 2€ Louvre

The history of the Louvre began in 1190, during the reign of Philip Augustus.

It was then a military establishment that served primarily to protect Paris from invasion. Over the centuries, the Louvre was transformed into a royal residence, notably under Francis I, who undertook extensive renovations to transform it into a sumptuous palace. It was only after the French Revolution, in 1793, that it became a museum open to the public, housing a collection of works of art for the common people.

Today, its collections, which are among the finest in the world, span several millennia and a territory stretching from America to the borders of Asia. It is also the most visited museum in the world, with no fewer than 8.9 million visitors in 2023. Among its most famous works, the Louvre boasts the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, the Seated Scribe, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and the Code of Hammurabi.

The obverse of this coin, entitled Musée du Louvre, depicts Perrault's Colonnade, the eastern façade of the building overlooking the Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois church. This exterior façade is integrated into the museum's floor plan, which includes the RF, the year, and the different stamps. In the background, the Louvre pyramid stands out from its structure, which crisscrosses the base of the coin.