|
The 1st arrondissement is principally the arrondissement of
the French Revolution that started in the equivocal and popular area of the
Jardins du Palais Royal, behind the Comedie Francaise. It stayed quite hot in
that area for a long time after that. The area around the Palais Royal is a very
strange and unique quarter. Very busy and crowded all day (especially during
lunch hours in the sacrosanct lunch bistros that pushed out of the ground like
mushrooms) with people working in the district, travel agencies and staff from
all kind of shops. But once
the night sets in, it looks more a stone desert.
The 1st arrondissement is of course dominated by the most
famous and greatest museum of the world (according to the French): the LOUVRE
MUSEUM. The visit of a city in itself as I would call it, is
impossible in one day, even in two, or be prepared to have sore feet for about a
week!!
One of the now deceased president Mitterand great ideas to
stay a great figure in Frances's history was to leave some huge renovations and
new buildings in Paris. Besides the now much criticized Grande Bibliotheque he
decided in the early 80's to consecrate all his energy to the promotion of art and
culture.
First something spectacular had to be done about the main
square in front of the Louvre entrances: why not a pyramid. So a glass pyramid
was set of the ground and became the main entry of the Louvre, giving access to
the main wings of the museum. What a cabal this project unlatched!! Pro and
contra fought each other through the media and the dispute is not over yet. Even
my readers are very divided about the matter.
Quote the” Guide du Routard 1998”: The cost--75 million
FF-- makes it the most expensive roof in the world. (photo above is the cafe Marly). The cleaning of the windows
was done initially by high mountain guides but since it seemed that it was too
dangerous a robot replaced these experienced
and fearless mountain climbers” (unquote).
But the pyramid stands there now and nothing will change
that.
Personally, I like it, like it even very much. The contrast
between futuristic architecture and the Louvre buildings is very refreshing in
my opinion.
Anyway, a very positive result of all the Louvre refurbishings is that
the part of the museum that was occupied earlier by the ministere des Finances
had to move due to and liberated a surface of 22.000 square meters.
|
