Contents
Description
The Invalides Cathedral is a church that was converted into the burial place of Emperor Napoleon in the 19th century. The dome is part of the Hôtel des Invalides, a complex commissioned by Louis XIV that was once a home for over 4000 soldiers wounded in the war.
Museum
In recent years it would become a place for museums and tombs. The four museums “Musée de l'Armée”, “Musée des Plans-Reliefs”, “Musée de l'Ordre de la Libération” and the “Historial Charles-de-Gaulle” are all located within the Hôtel des Invalides.
Architecture
Les Invalides or Dôme des Invalides is, all assumptions aside, not a church in the common sense, but the burial place of Napoleon I. The name came primarily from its architecture. At the same time the dome of the building is, with its golden decorations, even from far away an absolute eye catcher. Six kilograms of gold-leaves were used to give the building the special gloss brilliance.
Krypta
Many famous people in the history of France are buried beside Napoleon in the Krypta of the Les Invalides, such as great parts of his family and major generals or marshals of that time: Napoleons brothers and sons are buried here for example.
Interesting facts
- The day pass at Dome Les Invalides is €15 making it one of the 3 cheapest tourist Attractions in Île-de-France.
How to get there
With public transportation:
There are many options to get to the Les Invalides, for example with Metro-lines 8 or 13. Moreover, the bus lines 28, 63, 69, 82, 83, 92 or 93 stop here. Of course you can always get there with a taxi or the RER as well.