Tourist Information
Type | Statue, Museum piece |
Created | 190 BC |
Other Names | Nike of Samothrace |
Where is displayed | Louvre Museum Daru Staircase – Denon wing – Level 1 |
Louvre Visiting Hours | All visitors, including those entitled to free admission, must book a time slot. Bookings can be made through the online ticketing service. |
Louvre Ticket Price | 17 E for Individual Visitor |
Book your ticket | https://www.ticketlouvre.fr/louvre/b2c/index.cfm/home |
Getting to Louvre | Metro: Louvre – Rivoli Station |
Location | Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France, Europe |
Why is Winged Victory of Samothrace so famous?
Winged Victory of Samothrace is a marble Hellenistic sculpture of Nike (the Greek goddess of victory) created most probably around 190 BC in Ancient Greece. The sculptor is unknown but is considered a sculptor from Rhodes island.
It is considered one of the top three masterpieces of the Louvre.
The statue represents a woman staying on the prow of a ship. Probably was made to commemorate a naval victory.
Charles Champoiseau discovered the statue Winged Victory of Samothrace in April 1863.
The perfect image
The Winged Goddess of Nike statue is positioned at the top of the beautiful Daru staircase at the Louvre watching from above the crowd of people climbing the stairs as in the past probably watched the waves of the sea from the height of a temple. Imagine how the wind is blowing her cling-wrap thin material and feel the power of her forward motion and sure-footedness.
Winged Victory’s right wing is not original and was added by mirroring the left wing.
When you get to the Daru ladder, don’t go up, yet! Stop and look up! Admire the perfect image of the goddess!