Aile Lescot, Renaissance wing at Louvre Palace, France

The Lescot Wing is a Renaissance section of the Louvre featuring two main stories and an attic level, with a classical stone facade adorned by detailed carved reliefs. The structure links multiple exhibition spaces, allowing visitors to move through collections of French art spanning different time periods.

Pierre Lescot was appointed by Francis I to lead building at the Louvre and designed this wing, built from 1546 to 1551; Henry II confirmed his role after Francis's death. Lescot kept working until his death in 1578, also completing the Pavillon du Roi and part of the southern wing of the Cour Carrée. The wing replaced the medieval Louvre's great hall, and its court façade set the model for the Parisian Renaissance style.

The Room of the Caryatids contains four monumental stone female figures by Jean Goujon that support a musicians' gallery, showcasing mastery of French Renaissance sculpture. These statues represent the artistic achievements that flourished during this creative period in France.

The wing is easily accessible and flows smoothly into other areas of the museum, allowing visitors to explore different collections without much backtracking. It helps to take time observing the intricate facade details from both outside and inside as you move through.

The sloping roof above the wing is among the earliest uses of the profile later named after François Mansart, whose own work followed this example. The eastern façade was cleaned and renovated in the early 1980s and inaugurated by President François Mitterrand on 24 February 1986, together with the rest of the Cour Carrée.