Les Invalides, Paris
Les Invalides is a place in Paris, France. It is a few buildings, united around the monuments of the complex of military history. Les Invalides was originally intended for the treatment and rehabilitation of veterans.
In the Les Invalides, a military museum is located for the French army, as is the museum of modern history. The place is known mostly for the fact that there were buried the greatest Frenchmen who were heroes of the various wars. Among those buried here is the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.
The idea of building the Les Invalides belonged to King Louis XIV. In 1670 he started the construction of a home for sick soldiers. The original name of the building and the whole complex was Hospital of Invalids, but gradually became known as Les Invalides. Design of the complex belongs to the architect Libéral Bruant. In 1676 his project was reproduced into reality. The complex had several major sites, one of which was used for military parades.
At that time veterans complained that there was no chapel in which to pray. Then Bruant was assisted by the architect Jules Hardouin Mansart and two years later - in 1679 - the chapel was completed. The chapel was called Église Saint-Louis. After the death of Bruant, Mansart was designated architect specifically for the royal chapel, which was inspired by St. Peter Basilica in Rome. The chapel is decorated with a typical Baroque dome and is considered one of the masterpieces of French Baroque architecture. The chapel was completed in 1708. The inside of the dome is decorated with frescoes by Charles de La Fosse, which strikes with its elegance.
North of the building created for the sick soldiers, is a large open space where there are embassies of Finland and Austria, as well as the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Les Invalides still functions as a national institution for veterans. In there is a disabled nursing home, medical center and medical consultations.
Napoleon Bonaparte was buried in Saint Helena, but then King Louis-Philippe found it necessary for the remains of the emperor to return to his homeland, which happened in 1840. Napoleon's remains were buried in the chapel of Saint-Jérôme, in Les Invalides, but were then moved to the tomb of red quartzite. They are buried there in 1861. In Les Invalides are buried and some members of the family of Napoleon Bonaparte, and several French officers who served him.
In the cemetery are buried the remains of a French war hero. In the House of Invalids was buried the elder brother of Napoleon - Joseph Bonaparte and his younger brother - Jérôme Bonaparte. Here is buried the son of the Emperor - Napoleon II. In Les Invalides was buried the author of the anthem of France - Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle. In the cemetery are located the remains of one of the great military leaders of France - Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne. Here is buried the heart of Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, who created the fortifications of Louis XIV.
