In the Emirates, a branch of the Louvre will open from Nouvel

Abu Dhabi - In the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, a branch of the Louvre Museum in Paris will be ceremonially opened today. French President Emmanuel Macron will be among the attendees. The building will be accessible to the public starting Saturday.

The modern museum, which proudly bears the name Louvre (Louvre Abu Dhabi), was built based on a project by French architect Jean Nouvel. It was originally scheduled to begin operations in 2012, but the opening was postponed because all construction work was not completed.

The museum features a large dome-shaped roof with a diameter of 180 meters. The roof is covered with 7,850 metal geometric shapes that together form a lattice pattern through which light enters the building. Nouvel himself described the roof as "an umbrella that creates a flood of light." The project cost more than one billion dollars (approximately 22 billion CZK).

For the right to use the name Louvre until 2037, the museum will pay the Paris "mother" 400 million euros.

The new museum, which is to have around 235 artworks in its permanent exhibition, is located on the artificially created Saadiyat Island, on the western side of which is so-called cultural district. In addition to the branch of the Louvre in Paris, further galleries are planned in the area, including a branch of the New York Guggenheim Museum.