Les Invalides was our destination for our afternoon visit. It has been a very warm day, and the sun was glimmering off the dome of this magnificent building. The complex is made up of two parts: the Chapel/tomb of Napoleon and the Military Museum. We weren’t particularly interested in the Military Museum, but we were extremely interested in Mansart’s great chapel which was ordered to be built by Louis XIV in the 17th century.
Les Invalides was built as a military hospital and home for wounded soldiers like the Chelsea Hospital in London. The glorious chapel was the church portion of the complex. The dome is one of the most beautiful structures in all of Paris. It is built on the dome-within-a-dome design which we find in St. Peter’s in Rome and in St. Paul’s in London. The altar is magnificent with marble in all colors and gilt bronze, creating a rich and powerful setting.
After Napoleon’s death, during the reign of Louis-Philippe, the body of Napoleon was brought back from “exile” and placed in an immense porphory sarcophagus dominating the opened floor of the building. Without a doubt, it is one of the most amazing attractions in all Paris.
Goodness, don’t miss it when you are in Paris. Let me share a few of my photos.
The entrance doors
The glorious dome
The altar
The tomb
Napoleon dressed as Julius Caesar
Les Invalides taken from the Eiffel Tower
The return to Paris of Napoleon’s body to be placed in Les Invalides.
Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
