The Louvre

The enormity of the museum was staggering. It seemed to be beautifully endless. 

The Nike of Samothrace. One of my favorite sculptures waiting to greet us at the top of the stairs. Broken but still standing defiant in the wind. 

The Louvre was originally a palace and many of the rooms still retained their beautifully ornate ceilings.

A vibrant Cimabue painting.

”Bacchus” attributed to the Workshop Leonardo Da Vinci.

”Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci.

A detail of “Woman with a Mirror” by Titian.

One of the massive paintings in the same room as the Mona Lisa.

Another breathtaking ceiling. 

This Greek relief caught my eye with its remarkable attention to detail, particularly with the veins of the hand.

”Venus de Milo” attributed to Alexandros of Antioch.

”Athena of Velletri”.

The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel.

Groups of Parisians enjoying picnics just outside The Louvre.

Finishing the day with a lovely pasta dinner at Domenico.

Sunset on the Île de la Cité

Getting the famous Berthillon ice cream.

One of the enticing fromageries (cheese shops).

Notre Dame Cathedral. 

St. Chapelle

St. Chapelle was a truly remarkable building. Constructed in an impressive seven year span of time this eight hundred year old chapel is famous for its stained glass windows. Despite the passage of time and two world wars the majority of the stained glass is original.

I had never been in a building that was so old before. Surrounded by handcrafted human ingenuity and creative expression. Something made of stone but not yet ruins. Still serving its purpose. Awestruck by the overwhelming detail and breathtaking scope of it all.

The commanding exterior.

The chapel actually consisted of two levels.

Details carved on the exterior.

The lower level.

The astonishing first view of the upper level. 

Even the floor, overlooked and well worn, was a vibrant testament to the extraordinary craftsmanship. 

The painted panels just above the balcony doors.

The elaborate carving of the balcony exterior.

A smaller but no less lovely stained glass window, boldly glowing with primary colors.

A close up of the wall, richly coated in detail and texture.

Exterior carvings.