2025 France Copper-Nickel 2025 Louvre Museum 2€ commemorative coin UN

The history of the Louvre began in 1190, under the reign of Philippe Auguste. At the time, it was a military establishment, protecting Paris from invasion. Over the centuries, the Louvre was transformed into a royal residence, notably under Francis Ist, who undertook major works to turn it into a sumptuous palace. It was only after the French Revolution, in 1793, that it became a museum open to the public, housing a collection of works of art for the people.

Today, its collections, among the finest in the world, span several millennia and a territory that stretches from America to the frontiers of Asia. It is also the most visited museum in the world, with no fewer than 8.9 million visitors in 2023. The museum’s most famous works include the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, the Crouching Scribe, the Victory of Samothrace and the Code of Hammurabi.

The obverse of this coin entitled Musée du Louvre depicts Perrault's Colonnade, the Eastern façade of the building overlooking the church of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois. This exterior façade is inserted of the museum's layout, in which the RF, the yeardate and the hallmarks are placed. In the back, the Louvre pyramid stands out from its structure, which covers the background of the coin.