The staircase

Where is the Winged Victory of Samothrace in the Louvre?

At the top of the Daru staircase, Room 703, on level 1 of the Denon wing. The staircase is one of six grand staircases the architect Hector Lefuel built in the palace, and it leads in four directions on three levels.

The 90-minute Louvre's Masterpieces trail includes the statue as step 3 of 12. From the Venus de Milo, it crosses Room 347 and the rotunda before climbing the Daru staircase. This route uses stairs; a step-free route to Room 703 is not confirmed.

The museum says the figure was made to be seen in three-quarter view, from her left-hand side. From the landing the trail goes on to the right, between the columns, to the Botticelli frescoes in Room 706.

What to do: Look at the statue from her left-hand side. The museum describes a three-quarter view as the angle it was designed for.

The statue

What is the Winged Victory of Samothrace?

It shows Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, about to land on a ship. The museum says it probably dates to 190 BC; the catalogue gives the first quarter of the 2nd century BC. It was commissioned to celebrate a victory at sea; the museum names no sculptor.

The statue is carved in Parian marble; the ship and the plinth are in grey Lartos marble. It was an offering for a sanctuary on the Greek island of Samothrace, where it stood high up and could be seen from afar. That is why the museum placed it at the top of a staircase.

The wings were partly recovered and completed in plaster. An 18-month conservation and cleaning project on the statue and its ship ended in 2014.

The find

How was the Winged Victory of Samothrace found?

About 110 fragments, with no head or arms, were unearthed on Samothrace by Charles Champoiseau in 1863.

The recovered plinth and ship's prow now form the statue's base. The monument was installed on the upper landing of the Daru staircase in 1883.

Parts of the right hand were found in 1875 and 1950. The 27 cm hand is displayed in a small case on the same landing.

What to do: Look for the showcase with the hand on the landing before you move on.

Opening times

When can you see the Winged Victory?

The Louvre opens from 9:00 to 18:00, or until 21:00 on Wednesdays and Fridays; access to Room 703 needs checking. The museum closes on Tuesdays, 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. Last entry is one hour before closing; staff start clearing rooms 30 minutes before.

The room schedule has no entry for the Daru staircase, so it does not confirm daily access to Room 703. You may take photos and videos for personal use in the permanent collections, without selfie sticks, flash or extra lighting.