PICTURE THIS
LE LOUVRE, PARIS, FRANCE
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IMAGE: PHOTOLIBRARY
On initial appearance, this doesn’t look like it could have started life as a 12th-century fortress. However, the Palais du Louvre, which houses 35,000 pieces of art, has undergone countless extensions throughout its colourful history – including the addition of the I.M. Pei-designed pyramid, which has stood as part of the museum since 1988. Among the better-known pieces in the Louvre’s collection are the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, but there are also over 5,000 works of Islamic art. Another Louvre will open on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island in 2012 – watch this space for images of its flying saucer-like shell, conceived by French architect Jean Nouvel…