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On November 11th, the capital city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates inaugurated the renowned Louvre Museum from France.
On November 11th, the capital city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates witnessed the grand opening of the famous Louvre Museum from France, leaving visitors impressed by its magnificent beauty and hundreds of exceptional artworks.
After nearly 11 years since the agreement between France and the United Arab Emirates was signed to build, the French Louvre Museum branch in Abu Dhabi has officially opened its doors on the recent November 11th. This marks the first Louvre Museum outside French territory bearing the name 'Louvre'—the prestigious museum in the magnificent capital city of Paris.
Initiated by former French President Jacques Chirac in 2001, the 'Louvre in the Desert' project, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel, boasts a spacious 9,200m² exhibition space on Saadiyat Island, overlooking the Persian Gulf. The project faced initial delays in construction due to the economic crisis in the Arab Emirates caused by plummeting oil prices.
It's noted that the UAE spent $525 million to use the Louvre brand and an additional $750 million to hire French managers to oversee the artworks.
Similar to its main counterpart, the Louvre building in Abu Dhabi is truly a masterpiece of art with its unique and exquisite architecture, leaving visitors astonished by its scale and the smallest details in the museum's design.
If the world-famous Louvre in Paris is known for its pyramid structure, the Middle Eastern version also boasts an impressive architectural style, featuring a 180m-long dome constructed from over 8,000 metal pieces inspired by iconic Arab architecture. The open spaces of the dome give visitors the sensation of standing under a starry sky at night, while during the day, the sunlight creates a 'rain of light.'
Notably, architect Jean Nouvel also constructed a 2.3m tall Light Fountain with a spiral shape, adorned with sparkling crystal beads.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi museum comprises 26 exhibition areas painted in white. Visitors here are sure to be overwhelmed by the scale, unique and exquisite architecture, and even the smallest details in the museum's design.
With a focus on world history and religions, the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum showcases over 600 unique artworks from Islamic, Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Asian cultures.
The treasure trove of the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum lies in its historically significant artworks, with the museum continuously seeking and acquiring pieces from around the globe. Among them, there is a stunning Buddha statue from Northern China, carved from white jade stone in the mid-6th century, and a gold bracelet decorated with lion head details, crafted in Azerbaijan in Iran in the 12th century BC. Additionally, there are many other renowned and immensely valuable artworks such as ancient Quran or Bible manuscripts, a Crucifix Box from the 8th century AD, or René Magritte's 1928 painting 'The Subjugated Reader.'
Moreover, there are over 300 other artworks leased from the Louvre Paris and 12 other French museums, such as Vincent Van Gogh's 1887 'Self-Portrait' and Leonardo da Vinci's 'La Belle Ferronniere.'
The exhibition rooms are arranged chronologically and thematically. For instance, in the 'Great Vestibule' chamber of the museum, visitors are introduced to rituals concerning childbirth and funerals, while a room dedicated to 'universal religions' showcases a Gothic Bible, a stunning 9th-century blue Quran, and a Torah scroll.
Exhibitions here will change every three months to attract attention and unveil new valuable artworks acquired by the museum.
Posted by: Hung Nguyen
Keyword: Admire the opulent beauty of the Louvre Museum amidst the heart of the Middle East
