WELCOME TRAVELERS

If you are reading this you are likely planning on traveling with Jeff to Europe. He hopes you find this site useful in the preparations of your upcoming vacation. Part of the excitement in traveling is in the planning and the anticipation of the adventure. The more we understand about European history (that is embodied in the Roman ruins, the Medieval cathedrals and castles, the Renaissance masterpieces, and the diverse scenery), the more interesting and enjoyable our time will be in Europe. This site was created for these two reasons—to build anticipation by getting a glimpse at the various sights we will likely explore, and to enrich our first hand experiences of these sights by educating ourselves on the rich history surrounding these attractions.


How to use this site.

The links on the right are some general sites that Jeff has found to be helpful in planning his trips. The posts located in the center of the page focuses upon the sights of Jeff's upcoming trip. The words underlined will link you to other sites with further information.

Day 3 (May 12th) PARIS


AGENDA:

1. Breakfast
2. Tour the Louvre
4. Lunch
5. Visit the Palace of Versalles
6. Dinner
7. A night viewing of the Eiffel Tower for those interested


THE LOUVRE

The Louvre is the largest museum in the world (over 6 miles of exhibits), and is also considered as the best art gallery in the world. It is not possible to see everything in the Louvre. Therefore it is best to provide a time limit (around 3 hours or so) and allow each person in our group to tour at their own pleasure. Different people will find different things interesting. For those who want to stick with me, I will try to hit the more notable exhibits; kind of a general tour of the best of the Louvre. I recommend that you visit the Louvre's website and spend awhile getting familiar with its various collections (this is a great website). The Louvre can be broken down into 6 sections. Egyptian Antiquities, Oriental Antiquities and Islamic Art, Greek and Roman Antiquities, French Painting, Northern European Painting, Italian and Spanish Painting, Sculpture, and Objects d'Art.

Here are some of the more notable exhibits of each collections (at least exhibits I find interesting) . Click on the underline words to learn more.

A. EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES:
1. The Large Sphinx (Old Kingdom c. 2600 B.C.)
2. Sarcophagus of King Rames III (1184-1153 B.C.)

B. ORIENTAL ANTIQUITIES AND ISLAMIC ART:
1. The Law of Hammurabi
2. Walking Lion (6th century B.C., from the Temple Of Ishtar, Babylon)
3. King Sargon II and a Dignitary (713-704 B.C., from the palace of King Sargon II)
4. Winged Bull (713-705 B.C., from the palace of King Sargon II)
5. Frieze of Archers (510 B.C., from the reign of Darius I)

C. GREEK AND ROMAN ANTIQUITIES:
1. Aphrodite, known as Venus de Milo (c. 100 B.C., Greece)
2. Portrait of Socrates (330 B.C.)
3. Hadrian (2d century A.D.)
4. The Winged Victory of Samothrace (c. 190 B.C.)

D. FRENCH PAINTING:
1. Christ with St. Joseph by George de La Tour (1652)
2. Louis XIV by Hyacinth Rigauy Ros (1701)
3. The Coronation of Napolean by Jacques-Louis David (1806-7)
4. Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix (1830)

E. NORTHERN EUROPEAN PAINTING:
1. Erasmus by Hans Holbein the Younger (1497)
2. The Tower of Babel by Lucas van Valchenborch (1597)
3. Jester with a Lute by Frans Hals (1666)
4. Self-Portrait by Rembrandt (1633)

F. ITALIAN AND SPANISH PAINTING:
1. Christ Blessing by Bellini (1516)
2. Mona Lisa by Leonardo de Vinci (1519)
3. The Supper at Emmaus by Titian (1535)
4. The Fortune Teller by Michelangelo (1571)
5. The Club-Footed Boy by Jusepe de Ribera (1642)

G. SCULPTURE:
1. Charles V. King of France (1365-80)
2. Voltaire by Jean-Baptiste Pigalle (1785)
3. Virgin and Child by Donatello (1466)


THE PALACE OF VERSALLES

When the château was built, Versailles was a country village; today, however, it is a suburb of Paris, some twenty kilometers southwest of the French capital. The court of Versailles was the center of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. For more information upon the Versailles click here.


NIGHT VIEWING OF THE EIFFEL TOWER




HOTEL

Hotel Grand Leveque