Who is buried at invalides

Inside, the decoration is sumptuous: painted cupolas, pilasters. The cupola of the dome is decorated with a circular painting by Charles de la Fosse. It depicts the Glory of Paradise, with St.

Louis offering his sword to Christ. A pair of binoculars would come in handy to take in all the detail. The high altar of the royal chapel is a bit of a garish affair, to my mind. It was moved during the installation of Napoleon's crypt to its current spot.

The altar is considered a fine specimen of French Baroque architecture. It was modeled after Bernini's Baldachin in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. It appears as though the altar and chapel are bathed in gold.

This look is achieved by the yellow stained glass windows on each side. Address : Rue de Grenelle Paris Hours : Open every day. From October 1 to March 31, from am to pm, from April 1 to September 30, from am to pm, from June 15 to September 15 am to pm. You may enjoy these other travel guides and resources for Paris:. Paris hidden gems. Paris 5 day travel guide.

Guide to the Latin Quarter in Paris. Guide to the Opera District in Paris. Giude to Montmartre. Tourist traps to avoid in Paris. Tips for visiting Paris. Where to find Monet's art in Paris. If you'd like to visit Les Invalides and see Napoleon's tomb, pin it for later. Recent Posts See All. Post not marked as liked One is made from tin, one from mahogany, two from lead and one from ebony, in which Napoleon also lies.

All these urns are places inside a beautifully sculpted piece of red porphyry. Napoleon is buried in this majestic military pantheon. After your tickets have been scanned, you may enter and are immediately welcomed by an awe-inspiring dome and tons of marble and other expensive rocks. At the front of the church you can see an impressive canopy. The outside of this cathedral also looks a lot like the St.

The beautiful statues and columns, however, are nothing compared to the crypt that lies beneath you. From the ground floor you can already see the sarcophagus of Napoleon. Anyone who looks at the tomb from here is actually bowing for this great man. To visit the grave of Napoleon from up close, you have to go down. For that you have to walk down from the monumental staircase, but before you descend, I recommend to also study the bronze gate.

The red sarcophagus stands on a green granite pedestal and contains the five boxes in which Bonaparte is buried. It is a simple but impressive sarcophagus in red porphyry from Finland. But you're probably asking yourself, didn't Napoleon die in exile on the distant island of Saint Helena? Of course, but you should know that in , nineteen years after his death, the British government returned his remains to the French government.

The transport of his remains from Africa and the burial under the dome of Les Invalides were very emotional events for the rediscovered national pride.

FUN FACT: Napoleon's ashes are in an iron case, but just like in the Egyptian pharaohs' tombs, this case is in turn enclosed in an acacia wood coffin, two lead ones, an ebony one, and finally an oak one.

On the floor, a polychrome mosaic illustrates the main battles of the Empire, while twelve huge Victory statues by Pradier are mounted up against the pillars of the crypt. Halfway along the gallery, there is a vault containing the coffin of the King of Rome, transferred there on 15th December, , and placed under a marble slab in the crypt on 18th December, Over the tomb stands a statue by Simart representing Napoleon as a Roman emperor.