The renovation project of the Louvre signifies the possibility of harmony between modernity and history. Louvre, originally constructed as a fortress, was the home of the kings of France until Louis XIV chose Versailles for his household, leaving the Louvre primarily as a home for artists and intellectuals. In the late 1800s, the Louvre was damaged in a fire. The fire entirely destroyed the interior of the palace, spreading to the museum next to it. The decision to turn the Louvre into a massive repository of the world's greatest fine art collection was proposed in 1981 by the French President François Mitterrand. However, the old royal palace was barely functional as a museum. The challenge was in turning a historical building into a modern museum equipped to cater for a large ever-growing number of visitors. The architect Ieoh Ming Pei was named to design the Grand Louvre project. His proposal for a glass pyramid was extremely controversial. Many believed that this historic site was already "saturated with architectural styles…." Pei overcame the negative response from officials and historians to his design. Pei was convinced that, in addition to educating the public, with competition from many other recreation businesses, museums needed to be attractive enough to make people want to spend the day there. The architecture must provide comfortable surroundings. Most importantly, a museum should not only be a place to see art but also should be an aesthetic experience in itself. Louvre's glass pyramid was once decried as an architectural "obscenity" but nowadays, it has become a cherished icon of the French capital, drawing over a million visitors every year.