The
Louvre Palace (, ) is a former royal palace located on the
Right Bank of the
Seine in
Paris, between the
Tuileries Gardens and the church of
Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois. Its origins date back to the medieval period, and its present structure has evolved in stages since the 16th century. It was the actual seat of power in France until
Louis XIV moved to
Versailles in 1682, bringing the government with him. The Louvre remained the nominal, or formal, seat of government until the end of the
Ancien Régime in 1789. Since then it has housed the celebrated
Musée du Louvre as well as various government departments.